Glocal Educators - Conference Booklet 2013 by Globale Gymnasier

Table of contents

Page

Project introduction

Global interdependence

UNESCO Tensions

•

Globalisation •

Definitions

Citizenship •

Defining citizenship: T H Marshall

Glocalisation •

Defining Glocalisation: CERFE

Social and economic success in society

•

Success beyond the classroom

•

21C Lens

•

Standardised Testing Globally

Global Competences in 21C

•

Ruth Deakin Crick: Learning to Learn and Active Citizenship Competences

•

The recognition of Lifelong learning

•

The problem with Measurement

•

The Essential Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI)

The Future of Education

•

The critical question

•

Hargreaves: The Fourth Way

•

Historical Trends

•

The Reality for School. What are we Doing and How do we know?

•

What is Happening Globally?

•

OECD Scenarios for the Future

Teacher Practice

•

Donald Schon: The Reflective Practitioner

•

A Reflective Practitioner Thinking and Learning Model

•

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

•

Keith Trigwell: A Model

•

A Praxis Model: Theory and Practice Continuum

•

The SOLO Taxonomy

•

Reflective Professional Learning: An Experiential Model

Resources •

Thinking Routines for classroom practice

Project Introduction Challenges for 21C Educators The challenge faced by schools and school leaders in the 21st Century is to lead the transformation of learning to match the transformation of global imperatives. “every few hundred years in Western history there occurs a sharp transformation … Within a few short decades, society rearranges itself – its world view; its basic values; its social and political structures; its arts; its key institutions. Fifty years later, there is a new world”. Brian Caldwell The implications for educators and education institutions – schools and universities – are both critical and immense. “From what we already know about the 21st Century, it is clear that the traditional school has no chance of surviving in it, at least not in the developed economies”. Headley Beare. This Glocal Educators conference embraces 6 critical elements that are essential to understanding and meeting this challenge they are: globalization, citizenship, conception of social and economic social and economic success in society, global competences in the 21C, the future of education, teacher practices. Firstly, to provide an understanding of the nature and implications of globalization, secondly to explore the challenges and responses of educators and policymakers, globally, to the forces of globalisation, and thirdly to identify best-practice responses to the emergent education challenge to identify effective projects and practices and explore their theoretical foundation.

Problem statement

Historically, education has been reactive to perceived contemporary economic, political and social imperatives. At key stages in history, education structures, curriculum and teaching practices can be seen to mirror major economic, social or political change. For example, the space race led to significant investment in science curriculum and pedagogies, the civil rights movement in the

United

States

brought

about

curriculum

and

structural

transformation of education policy and practice and Australia’s economic and diplomatic realignment with Asia led to the Asian languages priorities contained in National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program (NALSSP). A shift in education policy and practice, then to mirror the impact of rapid globalization, should be placed within this context. Zhao (2009) argues that what he terms the ‘death of distance’, has led us to “enter a new era of human history and one in which we cannot be certain of what specific talents, knowledge and skills will be of value [and] to meet these challenges we need to transform our thinking about education”. The implication is that we must think globally in terms of what knowledge and skills our children will need so that they can exercise their natural rights, whether in rural Shaanxi province or metropolitan Sydney. Research (Law, Pelgrum, and Plomp, 2008), however, demonstrates that teaching practice has not kept pace with 21C technologies or practices. Of teachers in 23 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa it was found that the three most common pedagogical practices were having students fill out worksheets, work at the same pace and sequence, and answer tests. ICT was rarely used and the applications used most often were general office software, followed by tutorial or drill practice software. Largely, the same level of learning is occurring

but through different media; the creation of new learning through new forms of ICT is yet to be prevalent. This, though, is not to say that education has not changed in response to globalization; indeed, as stated, education policy globally has experienced significant change through the death of distance over the past 30 years without, however succeeding in closing the achievement gap that exists across school contexts, globally. Globalization affords us both opportunity and challenge in terms of creating curricula that scaffolds educators and students to “become more aware of the global nature of societal issues, to care about people in distant places to understand the nature of economic integration, to appreciate the interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples, to respect and protect cultural diversity, to fight for social justice for all and to protect the planet for all human beings” (Zhao). In line with this, education policy makers internationally have rightly responded with an increasing focus on education for global citizenship. In Denmark, Progress, renewal and development: Strategy for Denmark in the global economy published in 2006 outlines an aim to make Denmark a leading knowledge society with strong competitiveness and strong cohesion and that education, lifelong skills upgrading, research and innovation at the highest international level were crucial for achieving this aim. In Australia, the need for students to develop as 21C learners is made clear in policy documents such as the Melbourne Declaration, the DEECD Blueprint for Government Schools, and NALSSP. There is, then, clear policy intent to address the imperatives of 21C globalisation in Denmark and Australia along with other nations around the world. Issue

At issue, though, is the form that the global practice should take in schools and the ability of teachers and teacher educators’, schools and universities, to enact authentic global professional learning and teaching practices and whether the global education goals will extend beyond the existing global measurements of literacy and numeracy and knowledge of science in classrooms to demonstrating truly global learning practices in action. Research Question

Reflective: How do educators understand the theory and practice of the 21C glocal education paradigm? How do educators communicate and engage in 21C professional learning / practice? Predictive: How is scholarly 21C glocal teaching and learning practice created and supported? Purpose of the Conference The core purpose of this conference is to address the disjuncture between current professional learning practice for educators and the form of practice that is necessary to produce ‘glocal’ (simultaneous global and local) 21C learning and skills acquisition outcomes across primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. The focus of this conference is to explore the nature and implications of the emergent 21C global education paradigm for both educators and educational institutions and identify a set of working

principles

that

represent

effective

model

21C

professional learning theory-in-practice. That is, the notion of glocalisation in the context of this research has been used to point to a strategy involving a reform of the different aspects of globalization as they relate to education theory and practice; the

goal being both to establish a link between the benefits of the global dimension – in terms of education, technology and information – and local realities, while, at the same time, establishing a framework for professional experiential learning and scholarship. Specifically, the purpose of the conference is twofold: (a) to understand how educators understand their practice in terms of the 21C global education paradigm and (b) to identify a theory in action to best achieve the high level goals as articulated by the Danish and Australian national governments as well as bodies such as the OECD and UNESCO.

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Global Interdependence and Global Prosperity The Glocal Educators project is founded on the idea that, while

the

world

over

time

has

developed

complex

interdependence, it has yet to fully develop an awareness and identity and thus effective and sustainable leadership forms and fora that can effectively and sustainably overcome the equally complex matrix of challenge and dispute, which manifest as threats to global prosperity and peace. This significant challenge needs to be addressed and involves a critical capacity, globally, to be built for the development of citizens - local, national and global - that have the necessary global dispositions and worldview as well as the requisite skills to identify need and address it sustainably. This capacity needs to be addressed over generations for that to happen effectively and will hinge on the effectiveness of education and educators. The challenge that we all as inhabitants of the globe confront daily, consciously and / or unconsciously is the reality of global interdependence. That is, the world has developed over millennia as a complex matrix of cultural, national, economic and legal jurisdictions, all inextricably linked and all fundamentally grappling with the implications of finite resources, distinct identities and conflicting ideologies. The reality is that global security threats arise from needs of people, national and or cultural / ethnic groups that involve finite resources or relationships, which conflict with counter claims or interests. Threats such as eco / enviro; economics and trade; sociocultural recognition all fall under the umbrella of the question of leadership and global security.

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The big question, then, is how educators and education institutions and systems are to harness the benefits of the global dimension

- in terms of technology, information and economics

and local realities - to achieve sustainability in the distribution of the planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resources and an authentic social and cultural rebirth of disadvantaged populations.

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UNESCO: 21C Tensions to be overcome Jacques Delors in Learning: The Treasure Within, outlined the tensions that UNESCO have identified as being the main tensions that, although they are not new, will be central to the problems of the twenty-first century, namely: • The tension between the global and the local: people need gradually to become world citizens without losing their roots and while continuing to play an active part in the life of their nation and their local community. • The tension between the universal and the individual: culture is steadily being globalized, but as yet only partially. We cannot ignore the promises of globalization nor its risks, not the least of which is the risk of forgetting the unique character of individual human beings; it is for them to choose their own future and achieve their full potential within the carefully tended wealth of their traditions and their own cultures which, unless we are careful, can be endangered by contemporary developments. • The tension between tradition and modernity, which is part of the same problem: how is it possible to adapt to change without turning one’s back on the past, how can autonomy be acquired in complementarity with the free development of others and how can scientific progress be assimilated? This is the spirit in which the challenges of the new information technologies must be met. • The tension between long-term and short-term considerations: this has always existed but today it is sustained by the predominance of the ephemeral and the instantaneous, in a world where an over-abundance of transient information and emotions continually keeps the spotlight on immediate problems. Public opinion cries out for quick answers and ready solutions, whereas many problems call for a patient, concerted, negotiated strategy of reform. This is precisely the case where education policies are concerned. • The tension between, on the one hand, the need for competition, and on

the other, the concern for equality of opportunity: this is a classic issue, which has been facing both economic and social policy-makers and educational policy-makers since the beginning of the century. Solutions have sometimes been proposed but they have never stood the test of time. Today, the Commission ventures to claim that the pressures of competition have caused many of those in positions of authority to lose sight of their mission, which is to give each human being the means to take full advantage of every opportunity. This has led us, within the terms of reference of the report, to rethink and update the concept of lifelong education so as to reconcile three forces: competition, which provides incentives; co-operation, which gives strength; and solidarity, which unites. • The tension between the extraordinary expansion of knowledge and human beings’ capacity to assimilate it: the Commission was unable to resist the temptation to add some new subjects for study, such as self-knowledge, ways to ensure physical and psychological well-being or ways to an improved understanding of the natural environment and to preserving it better. Since there is already increasing pressure on curricula, any clear-sighted reform strategy must involve making choices, providing always that the essential features of a basic education that teaches pupils how to improve their lives through knowledge, through experiment and through the development of their own personal cultures are preserved. • The tension between the spiritual and the material: often without realizing it, the world has a longing, often unexpressed, for an ideal and for values that we shall term ‘moral’. It is thus education’s noble task to encourage each and every one, acting in accordance with their traditions and convictions and paying full respect to pluralism, to lift their minds and spirits to the plane of the universal and, in some measure, to transcend themselves. It is no exaggeration on the Commission’s part to say that the survival of humanity depends thereon.

Globalization The phenomenon of globalization, dating back to the age of discovery has been rooted in technological advances, which have impacted on the way that individuals and societies operate. Historically, new practices, literacies and technologies have emerged and have altered social and work practices both locally and globally, which have demanded new routines, learning forms and skills. What has also been constant is the differing extent to which groups within societies are able to successfully adapt to change. While globalization has been a constant phenomenon over centuries and the issues of social equity have existed for that long, the pace of this phenomenon has increased dramatically with the advancements in ICTs to the point where we must now talk about new paradigms as having emerged and the need to develop new forms of practices in response. The structure of the 21C global economy today looks very different than it did at the beginning of the 20th century, which means that social, political and educational priorities have also changed. The economies of developed and many developing countries are now based more on the manufacture and delivery of information products and services than on the manufacture of material goods. Even many aspects of the manufacturing of material goods are now strongly dependent on innovative uses of technologies. The beginning of the 21st century also has witnessed significant social trends in which people access, use, and create information and knowledge very differently than they did in previous decades, again largely due to advances in ICTs.

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Globalization: Some Definitions “Globalization can be defined as the increasing interaction among and integration of diverse human societies in all important dimensions of their activities--economic, social, political, cultural, and religious.” Eduardo Aninat, “China Globalization, and the IMF”, speech by the Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, The Foundation for Globalization Cooperation’s Second Globalization Forum, January 14, 2001, see http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2001/011401.htm.

“Globalization can be defined as a set of economic, social, technological, political and cultural structures and processes arising from the changing character of the production, consumption and trade of goods and assets that comprise the base of the international political economy.” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), MOST Annual Report 2001, see http://www.unesco.org/most/most_ar_part1c.pdf.

“…globalization refers to processes whereby many social relations become relatively delinked from territorial geography, so that human lives are increasingly played out in the world as a single place.” Jan Aart Scholte, “The Globalization of World Politics”, in J. Baylis and S. Smith (eds.), The Globalization of World Politics, An Introduction to International Relations (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), pp. 14-15.

“…understood as the phenomenon by which markets and production

different

countries

are

becoming

increasingly

interdependent due to the dynamics of trade in goods and services and the flows of capital and technology.” OECD, Intra-Firm Trade (Paris: OECD, 1993), p. 7, as cited in R. Brinkman and J. Brinkman, “Corporate Power and the Globalization Process”, International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 29, No. 9, 2002, pp. 730-752, pp. 730-731.

“The process of globalization suggests simultaneously two

images of culture. The first image entails the extension outwards of a particular culture to its limit, the globe. Heterogeneous cultures become incorporated and integrated into a dominant culture which eventually covers the whole world. The second image points to the compression of cultures. Things formerly held apart are now brought into contact and juxtaposition.” Mike Featherstone, Undoing Culture, Globalization, Postmodernism and Identity (London: Sage, 1995), pp. 6-7, as cited in “Culture Communities: Some Other Viewpoints”, Issues in Global Education, Newsletter of the American Forum for Global Education, Issue No. 158, 2000

“The historical transformation constituted by the sum of particular forms and instances of... [m]aking or being made global (i) by the active dissemination of practices, values, technology and other human products throughout the globe (ii) when global practices and so on exercise an increasing influence over people’s lives (iii) when the globe serves as a focus for, or a premise in shaping, human activities.” M. Albrow, The Global Age, 1996, p. 88, see http://www.globalizacija.com/doc_en/e0013glo.htm

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Citizenship What does globalization mean in terms of citizenship? The nature of citizenship is a significant area of discussion in scholarship as well as in the broader public consciousness. Broadly, the discussion has largely centred on the contrast between those who view citizenship through a ‘rights versus responsibilities’ lens. Similarly, between those who view a ‘passive’ citizen lens versus those

who

view

citizenship

with

‘active’

citizenship

understanding. This discussion also is one that is held globally and one that is largely seen through a national lens rather than through a global lens. The primacy of the nation in terms of citizenship is consistent with the primacy of the legal status of citizenship and with a primary socio-cultural national identity. A global citizenship is at best founded in a quasi-legal sphere with only the most basic of human identity to form a truly global identity. The experience of globalization, however, means that people and nations are increasingly living, working and acting globally, in a way that 30 years ago they would be acting locally or nationally; the growth of real interdependence has created, for the first time, a global consciousness that resembles the starting point for national consciousness and citizenship, a shared identity and purpose, shared prospects and interdependent outlook on economic prosperity. This has real implications on how we view the notion of citizenship, its nature and how societies, local, national, and global set about developing ‘good’ citizens. An exploration, then, of the core elements of citizenship is valuable if we are to transfer an understanding of citizenship from a local and national context into a global one.

The most influential exposition of the post-war understanding of citizenship is T. H. Marshall as articulated in “Citizenship and Social Class”, written in 1949. In it, Marshall argues that citizenship is a matter of ensuring that every person is treated as a full and equal member of society. He further argues that the most effective way of achieving this is by the state affording each person citizenship rights.

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Defining Citizenship: T. H. Marshall Citizenship rights, according to Marshall (in Kymlicka and Norman, 1994) could be categorized into three types, each of which contributing equally to a holistic set of citizenship rights. These rights, further developed sequentially over a period of three centuries; civil rights in the eighteenth century, political rights in the nineteenth century and social rights in the twentieth century. Marshall argued that by guaranteeing civil, political, and social rights to all, the state ensures that every member of society feels like a full member of society, able to participate in and enjoy the common life of society.

This conception of cull citizenship accords with the perceptions of citizens themselves. When asked what citizenship means to them, people are much more likely to talk about rights than about notions of responsibility towards the state or to others (Kymlicka and Norman, 1994). This is certainly true in Britain and in the United States, although expressed in different terms. That is, in Britain, citizens spoke in terms of social rights; that of public amenities such as health and education. American citizens, rather articulated their understanding of citizenship in terms of civil rights; that of freedom of speech and religion. “for most people, citizenship is, as the U.S. Supreme Court once put it, ‘the right to have rights’”.

Marshall’s conception of full citizenship from within a rights framework however, has come under attach in recent decades for representing a passive understanding of citizenship. According to the New Right, to ensure the social and cultural integration of the poor, we must “go beyond entitlement” and focus instead on their responsibility to earn a living. Since the welfare state discourages people from becoming self-reliant, the safety net should be cut back and any remaining welfare benefits should have obligations tied to them. The ‘workfare’ programs that emerged in the 1980s which required recipients to work for their benefits, reinforced the idea that citizens should be self-supporting; indeed, that citizens should feel the responsibility to be self supporting.

The notion of responsibilities, however, is not dismissed by the Left. The Left question, though the access of all people to the opportunity access the benefits of citizenship, jobs, education and training. So, while the Left accepts the general principle that citizenship involves both rights and responsibilities, it feels that rights to participate must precede the responsibilities. That is, it is only appropriate to demand fulfillment of the responsibilities after the rights to participate are secured 358. This is important in terms of global education in the sense that teachers and

students need to be given the opportunity to access ‘global citizenship’ and the opportunities that that affords them, before one talks about teachers and students fulfilling any sort of responsibilities. It appears, true, irrespective of one’s orientation on citizenship, to say that public policy relies on citizens acting responsibly [much clearer in a national sense than a global sense].

The state will be unable to provide adequate healthcare if citizens do not act responsibly with respect to their own health, in terms of a healthy diet, exercise, and the consumption of alcohol and tobacco; the state will be unable to meet the needs of children, the elderly, or the disabled if citizens do not agree to share this responsibility by providing some care for their relatives; the state cannot protect the environment if citizens are unwilling to reduc, reuse, and recycle in their own homes. The ability of the government to regulate the economy can be undermined if citizens borrow immoderate amounts or demand excessive wage increases. 360 Without cooperation and self-restraint in these areas, the ability of liberal societies to function successfully progressively diminishes, yet at the same time, these things cannot sustainably be secured by the state through coercion; oppressive regimes in the imperial age and throughout the 20C are testament to this.

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Glocalization The convergence of globalization and citizenship is forming an understanding of a relevant form of citizenship for individuals as well as societies large or small. That is it is the conscious recognition that people throughout the globe have a growing sense of a shared destiny and therefore are recognizing that the sense of responsibility that they feel in a national context need to be transferred into a global context if their rights are to be protected and if all people are to achieve and / or preserve the same rights. In this way, the local context of recognizing and accessing the benefits of the rights afforded by the local and or national jurisdiction if viewed through a glocal lend would understand this to be threatened or limited if their responsibilities were not to be expanded into a global sphere. Case Study: The United States Pacific Rim One analogy that serves to explain this local to global contextual transfer is by looking at the US concept of the frontier theory and the Pacific Rim theory in terms of their foreign policy. The idea being that in order to protect the American way of life and the rights and rewards enjoyed as a part of that life, a very real engagement with neighbouring regions and societies that had the potential to threaten their way of life needed to be made; responsibility for action outside the nation state was taken so as to preserve but also spread what it saw as being fundamental rights. In terms of the frontier theory, American desire to protect the society built in the east led to the desire to create a continental empire, through purchase and conquest, guarding against foreign influence. One the nation spanned the breadth of the North Amercian continent, the glocal sphere of engagement spread through the pacific. While this analogy ignores the ‘conquest’ aspects of this engagement, the core recognition that one’s domestic rights and xxxx and destiny are indeed intertwined with the destinies of others in a global context is at the heart of glocalization.

The reality of glocalization and what it is to be and / or act glocally has been the topic of significant discussion and debate and the term is used in different ways in a variety of contexts. At its simplest, the notion of glocal or glocalization can be characterized by a greater balance between the global and local dimensions of any given context or contexts. The notion of glocal practice can refer to social processes, to a project or policies and also to systems of thought or ideas. Centro di Ricera e Documentazione (CERFE)1 as a member with consultative status of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has been involved in conceptual elaborations and in-depth examinations of themes concerning its research programme. In terms of addressing the reality of global and local convergence, the CERFE in association with the World Bank and The Glocal Forum2 characterized glocalisation as a word that: “is meant to point to a strategy involving a substantial reform of the different aspects of globalization , with the goal being both to establish a link between the benefits of the global dimension – in terms of technology, information and economics – and local realities, while at the same time, establishing a bottom-up system for the governance of globalization, based on greater equality in the distribution of the plant’s resources and on an authentic social and cultural rebirth of disadvantaged populations. Further, the CERFE make the critical distinction between localism (and multi-localism) and glocalisation. The former representing a national perspective of citizenship and the latter the perspective of global citizenship:

CERFE stated aims are to make a creative contribution to policymaking and to establishing new visions of reality, with a view to problem-solving. 2 The Glocal Forum was created in 2001 to emphasize the role of local authorities in the world governance system. The Glocal 1

Forum focuses on empowering communities by linking to one another in and globalgovernance resources, in order to achieve 2 The Glocal Forum was createdlocal in 2001 to emphasize the rolethem of local authorities thetoworld system. The Glocal Forum focuses on empowering local communities by linking them to one another and to global resources, in order to achieve social improvement, democratic growth, peace and a balance between global opportunities and local realities.

Glocalisation in the proper sense of the word, cannot refer to a simple appeal for power and independence on the part of local communities (localism) or to the creation of partnerships or horizontal networks that link up exclusively local subjects (multi-localism). Without a doubt, glocalisation is based on the actions of a number of different local actors … that are interconnected in networks – at times of planetary dimensions – or connected in clusters or in pairs, often with the objective of creating bridges between north and south, or between countries that find themselves in opposing sides of a conflict. In any event, one fundamental element of the approach in question is the ability to link and interact with global actors, be they international organizations or, under certain conditions, the global private sector. It is this ability which makes it possible, in the interests of implementing concrete projects, to draw on resources which local communities, especially if they have already been impoversished or have suffered the consequences of war, would be hard pressed to procure on their own, even if they were to join forces. The clear link emerges, then between glocalisation with multilateralism and links back to the perspective of citizenship. One is a tool for the furtherance of national goals, the other is a furtherance of national and global goals simultaneously. One is focused on actions that preserve rights in a local context, the other is enhancing what those rights might be through global responsibility. The CERFE has through research developed a ‘glocalisation ideal map’, which outlines a set of principles that appear to govern the form and prevalence of glocalisation:

Defining Glocalisation: CERFE Principles of Glocalisation Importance of local actors The first element making up the glocalisation vision is the full recognition that the actors and social relations at a local level have acquired crucial importance for development and peace. Often it is the agency of the local actors, their assessment of local problems and needs, their knowledge, their attitude to exercise governance over issues that affect them directly that makes the difference in terms of success or failure in development programs. The same is true for the effects that the quality of social relations at the local level have on peace-building and pacification strategies. But the relevance of this kind of actors is no longer limited to the locality. They are, in fact, increasingly showing an unexpected capacity to interact with and influence actors of higher levels in the global arena, be they States, international agencies or even global corporations. It is this attitude of local actors that makes the glocalisation

approach

unprecedented

realistic

concreteness

and

able

peace

and

provide

development

strategies. Among the new actors, one should not underestimate the role of youth, whose contribution of imagination and orientation to the future is essential to the glocal vision. The war / poverty nexus At the core of the glocal approach there is the assumption that the most destabilizing factor of the current world is the vicious circle poverty/endemic war, proliferation of conflicts and spread of violence. Situations of war and conflict, and the culture which derives from and fosters them, tend in fact to go beyond their place of origin and to attain global dimensions while threatening the

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overall stability of the international community. In this perspective the entry point of glocalisation to tackle this circle is not so much the issue of conflict resolution (which is under state responsibility) but peace-building in connection with development. Mainstreaming peace-building In the glocalisation perspective, peace-building is no longer regarded as a sectorial policy, but is seen as a central axis of any development strategy. This entails the drive to give concreteness and content to peace, by making the peace dividends take root at local level, while mobilizing local actors to take the new opportunities offered and build a social, economic and cultural regime that be as consistent and self sustaining as that of war. The link between stability, poverty-reduction, and development It is now generally recognized that poverty reduction is not so much an outcome of, but a prerequisite for development. The glocal assumptions, however, bring us one step further in pointing out that no serious effort in fighting poverty and achieving sustainable development can ultimately succeed if an adequate degree of stability is not attained at all levels, from local, to global. It is the virtuous circle of stability, poverty reduction and development that in the long run can contrast the vicious one of poverty, war and conflict. The role of the city Cities are the place where civil societies are emerging with more strength and where relations with governing and administrative bodies are more direct. They are also engines of economic growth,

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centres of cultural and intellectual innovation and privileged arenas for social empathy and change as well as institutional reform. They can, thus, be considered as the most relevant social units for glocalisation strategies – including people-to-people cooperation, preventive diplomacy and cross-border relationships – for the fight against poverty and in order to promote sustainable development and peace. Governance The glocalisation effect could ultimately contribute to a more pluralistic and integrated governance of globalization, striving to correct the shortcomings of market dynamics vis-à-vis social and economicinequalities. This entails a double movement: on the one hand, bringing the benefits of globalisation to local levels; on the other supporting and empowering local realities so they can contribute with their perspectives, options and demands to the global decision-making process. The use of global knowledge The movement towards glocalisation is strengthened by the characteristics of the knowledge society. These include increased circulation

knowledge,

communication

and

peer-to-peer

learning, and the possibility to insert local actors and organizations into global communication circuits, this can enhance the practice of a real multiculturalism, in which local players and their cultures, far for being depressed and nullified, can access the global arena and find ways of cross-fertilising with each other.

Social and Economic Success in 21C Global Society Success Beyond the Classroom Both employers and students themselves have different expectations of education, its outcomes and delivery forms that they did even 20 years ago. The pervasiveness of ICT has changed the way people access information and other people, as well as the way they use information to create new knowledge and learning. Business has undergone a significant transformation due to a growing emphasis on teams and collaborative practice (Pearce & Conger, 2003). The structure of companies and the nature of work has also changed. Organizational structures have become flatter, decision making has become decentralized, information is widely shared, workers form project teams even across organisations and work arrangements are flexible. To be prepared to operate effectively in a global knowledge-based society and economy, then, it is suggested that a new set of knowledge transfer skills and practices are needed to enable effective performance (Trigwell, 2000). It follows then, that as it is incumbent on national governments and education policy makers to strive for social and economic equity, it is incumbent on governments and educators to equip

all

citizens

with

the

requisite

skills,

literacies

and

understandings to succeed, simultaneously, in this new global society (macro) by being equipped to operate effectively in very different and ever-changing local contexts (micro). Globalisation demands new abilities and understandings to succeed, which has significant implications for education. Zhao (2009) argues that cross-cultural competency means the ability to live in and move across different cultures easily. In the globalized world, we will be interacting with many cultures but it is impossible to

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be competent in all the cultures of the world. Thus cross-cultural competency can be viewed as a general psychological ability that includes attitudes, perspectives and approaches to new and different cultures. Education for global understanding must be supported by the notion of unity in diversity, a common link between people that is enabled only through interaction between different perspectives (Dewey, 1916/1997). This argument is instructive in terms of the assertion that “every few hundred years in western history, there occurs a sharp transformation”. That is, within a few short decades society rearranges itself, its world view; its basic values; its social and political structure; its arts; its key institutions. Fifty years later, there appears a new world … we are currently living through such a transformation”

(Drucker,

1993,

1.).

Townsend

(2004)

characterises 2000 years of history as 5 clear periods: 2000BC-1890s, thinking and acting individually; 1870s-1990s thinking and acting locally; 1970s-2000s, thinking nationally and acting locally; 1980s2010, thinking globally and acting nationally and locally. The next logical transformation, according to Townsend, is thinking and acting both locally and globally, or ‘glocally’.

21 Century Skills These trends and associated skill outcomes, then, pose significant challenges for educational institutions and educators as most educational systems operate much as they did during the mid 20th century. The challenge for all educational institutions, teachers, teacher educators, is to prepare students to acquire these skills through scaffolding and modeling 21C skills through curriculum, pedagogy, organizational learning practice; to achieve both connectivity and authenticity in terms of both practice and outcomes. The recognition that the 21C world presents with new and different challenges has very real implications for education in terms of how students and citizens are prepared to succeed in the 21C global world. According to Townsend, Drucker et al, this also represents need for a sharp transformation in the field of education. The result has been the identification of specific skills and competences that are seen to be necessary for success in the 21C world. School systems, universities and not for profit organizations have grappled with these competences and have published numerous sets for schools and systems to enact in classrooms. Assessment and Teaching of 21C Skills (ACT21S) project One significant project that aims to bridge the gulf between identifying skills and competences on a theoretical level and practical classroom methodologies is the Assessment and Teaching of 21C Skills (ACT21S) project. The project which aims to transform education through a multi-stakeholder partnership to make a scalable and sustainable difference in classrooms around the world is led by the University of Melbourne but involves broad public and private

collaboration

across

governments,

intergovernmental

organizations (IGOs), academia and industry. The mission, as it Â

26 Â

identifies, is to empower students to succeed in the 21C by transforming the goals and practices of educators to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Those challenges centre on reforming curricula that, it suggests, does not fully prepare students to live and work in an information-age society. As a result, employers today: are often challenged with entry-level workers who lack the practical skills it takes to create, build and help sustain an information-rich business. Although reading, writing, mathematics and science are cornerstones of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education, curricula must go further to include skills such as collaboration and digital literacy that will prepare students for 21st-century employment. The project, then, is focused on changing how teachers and education systems approach education worldwide by developing new ways for teachers to assess students against outcomes that reflect 21C global skills and competences. The Foundation: Assessment To make changes at the classroom level, policy-makers need accurate information about the skills of the student population. Gathering that data through assessment is a critical component. ATC21S is developing methods to assess skills that will form the basis for 21st-century curricula, with an emphasis on communication and collaboration, problem-solving, citizenship, and digital fluency. Into the Classroom ATC21S aims to offer 21st-century curricula recommendations for education systems to support an improved workforce. Our goal is to create a new assessment framework with teaching and learning resources to help students develop 21st-century skills.

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Translating these skills to the classroom will shape the economic and social development of countries and communities for years to come. The ACT21S project have organized the ten skills that they identified into four groupings as follows:

Ways of Thinking • • • •

Ways of Working

Creativity and innovation Critical thinking, problem solving, decision making Learning to learn, Metacognition Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills project white papers

• •

Living in the World • • •

Tools for Working • •

Information literacy ICT literacy

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Communication Collaboration (teamwork)

Citizenship – local and global Life and career Personal & social responsibility – including cultural awareness and competence

Standardised Testing Globally: OECD Standardised assessments missed opportunity or still an opportunity for glocal practice? 21C global competences have been identified and the OECD have developed the PISA tests as a means of generating data, which tests for future citizens competences. The problem is that there is no glocal practice and no indication of what the affective competences are and how they are important to develop in teachers. Instead there is a reliance on the data to ‘speak for itself’ in terms of instructing / developing teacher practice. The opportunity, though, is that the data is very useful but needs to be explored by teachers (as opposed to policy makers alone) through ‘glocal’ networks in a SoTL method to meet the 21C challenges. The central questions that PISA outlines as being critical are “how well are young adults prepared to meet the challenges of the future?” Are they able to analyse, reason and communicate their ideas effectively? Do they have the capacity to continue learning throughout life? Parents, students, the public and those who run education systems need to know. Comparative international analyses can extend / enrich the national picture by establishing the levels of performance being achieved by students in other countries and by providing a larger context within which to interpret national results. They can provide direction for schools’ instructional efforts and for students’ learning as well as insights into curriculum strengths and weaknesses. Coupled with appropriate incentives, they can motivate students

to learn better, teachers to teach better and schools to be more effective. The assessments focus on 15-year-olds, and the indicators are designed to contribute to an understanding of the extent to which education systems in participating countries are preparing their students to become lifelong learners and to play constructive roles as citizens in society. The results, published every three years along with other indicators of education systems. The OECD suggest that this allows national policy makers to compare the performance of their education systems with those of other countries. They also help to focus and motivate educational reform and school improvement, especially where schools or education systems with similar inputs achieve markedly different results. Further, they provide a basis for better assessment and monitoring of the effectiveness of education systems at the national level. This emphasis on testing in terms of mastery of broad concepts is particularly significant in light of the concern among nations to develop human capital, which the OECD defines as: “The

knowledge,

skills,

competencies

and

other

attributes

embodied in individuals that are relevant to personal, social and economic well-being.” Estimates of the stock of human capital or human skill base have tended, at best, to be derived using proxies such as level of education completed. When the interest in human capital is extended to include attributes that permit full social and democratic participation in adult life and that equip people to become “lifelong learners”, the inadequacy of these proxies

becomes even clearer. By directly testing for knowledge and skills close to the end of basic schooling, OECD/PISA examines the degree of preparedness of young people for adult life and, to some extent, the effectiveness of education systems. Its ambition is to assess achievement in relation to the underlying objectives (as defined by society) of education systems, not in relation to the teaching and learning of a body of knowledge. Such authentic outcome measures are needed if schools and education systems are to be encouraged to focus on modern challenges. While the OECD standardized testing achieves significant benchmarking objectives and scaffolds the beginnings of teacher reflective practice, there are many questions that need to be both asked and answered. That is, the PISA and TIMMS tests scaffold teachers across the globe to deal with cognitive outcomes but provide no forum for them to collaborate on their practice. Further, the OECD tests deal almost exclusively with cognitive outcomes, which are important but are not sufficient, alone to achieve the holistic conception of a globally orientated and engaged student citizen. The result is that there is a need to reconceptualise what it means to be a global citizen in terms of affective outcomes.

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Global Competences in the 21C Ruth Deakin Crick: Learning to Learn and Active Citizenship In “Competences for Learning to Learn and Active Citizenship: Different Currencies or Two Sides of the Same Coin”, Bryony Hoskins and Ruth Deakin Crick, analyse two key competences drawn from the European Education Council Framework of key competences: learning to learn and civic competence. On first reflection, it could seem that the learning to learn competence is directed towards economic returns from the knowledge economy in the context of lifelong learning and that civic competence is orientated towards the social outcomes of active citizenship and social cohesion and that these two competences are in competition for time and resources within national curricula. These debates exist, for example, in Norwegian education policy when they compare their students’ social and academic performances. Norwegians perform well in the development of social and civic competences (Nerdrum, 2008) for which there is good evidence from high performances in the results of the active citizenship composite indicator (Hoskins & Mascherini, 2009) and the civic competence index (Hoskins et. al. , 2008). However, there is equally a concern due to the average or lower than average results in international tests such as PIRLS 2006, TIMMS 2003 and PISA 2006, despite spending heavily on the education system. The debates that have occurred in Norway are about whether focusing education on gaining high PISA scores would reduce their social outcomes. This article examines whether this dichotomy is a reality or if by developing a broader understanding of the term competence we can move beyond such a dualism towards a coherent strategy of values-based learning.

What is a competence? A competence refers to a complex combination of knowledge, skills, understanding, values, attitudes and desire which lead to effective, embodied human action in the world in a particular domain. One’s achievement at work, in personal relationships or in civil society are not based simply on the accumulation of second hand knowledge stored as data, but as a combination of this knowledge with skills, values, attitudes, desires and motivation and its application in a particular human setting at a particular point in a trajectory in time. Competence implies a sense of agency, action and value.

What is Civic Competence? Civic competence is the complex mix of the sum of the different learning outcomes which are necessary for an individual to become an active citizen. Active citizenship is defined within the context of the CRELL Active Citizenship for Democracy project and its European network as: Participation in civil society, community and/or political life, characterised by mutual respect and non-violence and in accordance with human rights and democracy’ (Hoskins, 2006). The European Commission 2010 Work Programme relating to the learning of active citizenship states that active citizenship: must

comprise not only the development of intercultural understanding (the affective level), but also the acquisition of operational competence (the cognitive level)—and both are best gained through practice and experience (the pragmatic level). And learning for active citizenship includes access to the skills and competences that young people will need for effective economic participation under conditions of technological modernisation, economic

globalisation,

and,

very

concretely,

transnational

European labour markets. At the same time, the social and communicative competences that are both part of new demands and which flow from changing work and study contexts are themselves of critical importance for living in culturally, ethnically and linguistically plural worlds. These competences are not simply desirable for some, they are becoming essential for all (European Commission,1998). The

European

Commission’s

Recommendation

Key

Competences for Lifelong Learning defines civic competence thus: Civic competence is based on knowledge of the concepts of democracy, justice, equality, citizenship, and civil rights, including how they are expressed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and international declarations and how they are applied by various institutions at the local, regional, national, European and international levels. It includes knowledge of contemporary events, as well as the main events and trends in national, European and world history. In addition, an awareness of the aims, values and policies of social and political movements should be developed. Knowledge of European integration and of the EU’s structures, main objectives and values is also essential, as well as an awareness of diversity and cultural identities in Europe. Skills for civic competence relate to the ability to engage effectively with others in the public domain and to display solidarity and interest in solving problems

affecting the local and wider community. This involves critical and creative reflection and constructive participation in community or neighbourhood activities, as well as decision-making at all levels, from

local

national

and

European

level,

including

voting.There is a plethora of lists of competences necessary for active citizenship (Veldhuis, 1997; Audigier, 2000; Crick, 1998). The CRELL Research Network on Active Citizenship for Democracy a list of competences for active citizenship: • Knowledge: human rights and responsibilities, political literacy, historical knowledge, current affairs, diversity, cultural heritage, legal matters and how to influence policy and society; • Skills: conflict resolution, intercultural competence, informed decisionmaking, creativity, ability to influence society and policy, research

capability,

advocacy,

autonomy/agency,

critical

reflection, communication, debating skills, active listening, problem solving, coping with ambiguity, working with others, assessing risk; • Attitudes: political trust, political interest, political efficacy, autonomy and independence, resilience, cultural appreciation, respect for other cultures, openness to change/difference of opinion, responsibility and openness to involvement as active citizens, influencing society and policy; • Values: human rights, democracy, gender equality, sustainability, peace/non-violence, fairness and equity, valuing involvement as active citizens. • Identity: sense of personal identity, sense of community identity, sense of national identity, sense of global identity.

What can be said from all the various lists is that civic competence is a complex mix of knowledge, skills, understanding, values and attitudes and dispositions and requires a sense of identity and agency.

What is the ‘Learning to Learn’ Competence? In the article, Hoskins and Deakin Crick refer to a key text which summarises 42 theoretical frameworks for thinking and learning which have been used since the Second World War, Mosely et al. (2005) identified seven of these which they describe as ‘all embracing’ frameworks which seek to provide a comprehensive account of how people learn and think in a range of contexts, rather than just deal with one aspect of learning, such as cognition. What is common, they suggest, to these seven is that they treat learners as ‘whole persons’ who think, feel, hope and have a sense of self as ‘chooser’ or agent in their own learning journey. They all, to some degree, see the learner as a person in relation to other people, capable of communicating and collaborating with colearners and learning from experience. They acknowledge that the learner is ‘embodied’, although they do not explicitly look at the location of the learner in a particular community, with its own social practices, traditions and worldviews. The idea that learning can lead to profound change in individuals and communities is an important link between these two core competences because both the notion of competence as we have described it and the notion of personal and social change are historical, contextualised, and value dependent: they imply a sense of direction leading towards a ‘desired end’. In a discussion of key competences for life in the 21st century, Haste (2001) identifies an overarching ‘metacompetence’ of being able to manage the tension between innovation and continuity. This is something which schools need to nurture and develop in their learners and, in our opinion, is also a pre-requisite for both lifelong learning and active citizenship.

Conclusion Deakin Crick and Hoskins concluded that: What we can conclude is that the two key competences, civic competence and learning to learn, have a large degree of commonality which, considering that both are essential for individual and societal success, provides important implications for education systems and the development of lifelong learning opportunities worldwide. From the evidence that we have drawn on, we can say that civic competence and learning to learn competences are both a requirement in relationship to real world tasks, for example, the need to learn how to learn in the knowledge society and the need to have the voices of citizens heard in a Europe concerned about democratic deficit. Each competence has not only a cognitive element, but also a strong affective dimension and should be treated as a quality of a whole person. Critical thinking, creativity and the values of equality and justice are, from the research presented in this article, considered important dimensions of both. The values in each case are attributed as the basis for action: civic competence leading to active citizenship and learning to learn leading to active learning or lifelong learning. Both are learned most successfully through learner-centred pedagogies and an environment built on trust and respect which is engaged with wider communities. Academic success has also been correlated with both competences. What the evidence has suggested is that civic competence and learning to learn enable or facilitate citizens into action. Presumably whatever their circumstances, once these competences are

37 Â

learned, individuals have the tools to create positive social change either

helping

themselves

politically

empower

their

communities and assure their rights or by actively pursuing the necessary

learning

opportunities

develop

the

relevant

knowledge and skills for new or better employment. What we could suggest is that perhaps the ‘desired end’ to which these policies are linked is social inclusion driven by empowered and active citizens. The implementation of the learning opportunities on offer to young people or indeed to all individuals will determine to what extent all citizens can benefit from learning these competences in order to maintain socially cohesive societies.

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The Recognition of Lifelong Learning In Australia, the Business / Higher Education Roundtable (BHERT) have recognized this need and have called for a greater emphasis on lifelong learning. The B-HERT policy statement (2001) was aimed at highlighting the significance of lifelong learning in the Australian context by drawing on analyses of lifelong learning policies and practices in Australia and other OECD countries. It suggested priorities for government, particularly in the areas of lifelong learning, business, and higher education and called for the development

infrastructures

for

learning

response

developments in the understanding of learning processes. It is the conditions which are needed for successful learning, and the advances in the technologies of learning, which create the potential for a new kind of learner and new kinds of learning more appropriate for 21C society (B-HERT, 2001). Specifically, the B-HERT statement argued for the adoption of a multi-faceted approach to education policy to address the complex interplay of the three major aims of lifelong learning: lifelong learning for a more highly skilled workforce, for a stronger democracy and more inclusive society, and for a more personally rewarding life. This call is consistent with the international context, as articulated by Delorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Four Pillars of Learning (1996). Delors outlines how education throughout life is based on four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be. Accordingly, universities, globally, are challenged to respond to these goals through the development of quality, relevant, and measurable learning. WIL represents an appropriate and necessary vehicle to develop students as holistic lifelong learners with a suite of learning dimensions and who are consciously able to build a satisfying working life across multiple career contexts. To meet this challenge, the notion of the meta-competence is critical.

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The Australian government’s goal of developing citizens with clear lifelong learning dispositions is a recognition that the development of competencies are prerequisites for a successful life and a well-functioning society. The Bradley review of higher education in Australia highlights how “it will be crucial for Australia to have enough highly skilled people able to adapt to the uncertainties of a rapidly changing future”(Bradley, Noonan, Nugent, & Scales, 2008, p. xi.). Critically also, the report highlighted the Australian government’s commitment to addressing the citizens’ right to share in the benefits of the new global age and knowledgebased economy. (Bradley et al., 2008). The review, along with other government education imperatives as outlined in the Melbourne Declaration articulates the call for all young Australians to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. The Problem with Measurement A survey of the stated definitions of global skills and their imperatives as they appear on the majority of global education programs’ websites, reveals a common emphasis on the cognitive learning domain, which highlights a primary focus on programs that involve elements such as knowing, explaining, being able to, rather than on 21C global learning outcomes in the affective domain. The stated goals for example, of Globale Gymnasier are for students to be able to: place themselves in an interconnected world; enter in constructive dialogue; deal with cultural differences; connect knowledge and praxis; use innovative ways in dealing with global challenges; interact on local, national and global levels. These, broadly representative of other similar programs, are concentrated in the cognitive domain and do not explicitly point to critical competences that fall within the affective domain; the

curiosity, growth orientation, disposition towards making meaning, creativity. These dispositions are the elements of student learning that are critical to the development of a global meta-competency. To focus exclusively on cognitive outcomes limits the capacity and collective imaginations of curriculum designers to develop bespoke learning. Most important, though, is that cognitively-focused outcomes limit the capacity and collective imaginations of teachers as professional learners, and as professional learning leaders and scholars. Rather than attempt a grand definition to address this issue, this project has instead characterised global learning primarily in terms of positive learning axioms, from which its characteristic style, structures, and negations follow. The proliferation of different types of global learning curricula and student experiences that are professed to constitute the phenomena of teaching for global citizenship, impede the understanding of the core global learning. The structures and curricula forms that may form to constitute global citizenship are infinite. It is thus unhelpful to attempt to define the learning in terms of structures; they become a meaningless infinity. What is needed, rather, is the identification of a unique learning element that transcends disciplines and vocations and prescriptive pedagogical forms to be identified. Critically, this element would enable both development and measurement of global education and fill the research void that exists around the achievement of student learning outcomes and the impact of the outcomes on their future Definitions that primarily view global citizenship in terms of curriculum

preparation

contribute

this

conundrum.

The

conception of global education as a curriculum design and / or co-curricular design in which students spend time in globally Â

41 Â

focussed settings relevant to social science areas of study perpetuates this conundrum as it reinforces the existence of an archetypal global curriculum design or “essential pedagogically relevant features” in curricula without providing clear global learning outcomes. These outcomes would be able to be measured across disciplinal contexts. Instead, at least implicitly, they encourage learning value to be viewed through a single disciplinal and/or vocational lens which has the effect of limiting the pedagogical creativity and broader 21C lifelong learning outcomes to be both developed and measured, unnecessarily. In terms of Deakin Crick’s meta-comptence representation it only measures the knowledge quarter rather than the whole learning continuum. As an ideal type, the attempt to define global learning, much less to measure it, is an to attempt to perform a linguistic contortion. To define global learning is to attempt to account for the infinite number of skills and experiential contexts, which, ultimately, only render the definition itself meaningless for practical purposes. The term ideal type refers to the status acquired by any generic concept, which is made central to an investigation of processes and events concerning human beings (Weber, 1964). Global learning, in this case, is the generic concept. By using Burger’s logic, accepting global learning as an ideal type is problematic as “before human consciousness acts upon the world to derive the meaning and values, which form the fabric of experimental reality, it consists of a ‘meaningless infinity’ of phenomena”. The argument follows that to perceive or know anything at all, the mind needs a filter capable of drastically editing this infinity, much in the same way as a camera needs a lens before it will photograph anything recognizable (Griffin, 1993). Global learnng is in need of a camera lens to make it recognizable and thus measurable. The contention

of this study is that that lens in global learning contexts should be centred on Deakin Crick’s notion of meta-competency in the form of a test rather than a definition.

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The Essential Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) The ELLI Dimensions Changing and Learning: A healthy perspective of oneself as a learner is present when an individual believes that through effort, their minds will grow, and that learning is a lifelong process. There is a sense of getting better over time. A less effective learner perceives learning capacity as fixed and experiences difficulty in learning as something that reveals inadequacies and limitations. Critical Curiosity. Effective learners with critical curiosity have energy and drive for learning. They value finding the truth, thinking deeply and asking questions. They are critical in their approach to learning and are undaunted by public exposure. They are in charge of their learning and are motivated by challenge. Less effective learners are passive in their learning and are more likely to accept what they are told. They are less likely to engage in speculation and exploratory discussions. Meaning Making. Effective learners who make meaning search for ways to connect what they are learning to what they already know. They tend to make sense of new things by using their own experiences and are interested in the “bigger” picture. Less effective learners approach learning experiences as isolated and fragmented events. These learners are more interested in identifying the criteria for success than in constructing meaning. Resilience: Effective learners are resilient and robust in their learning. They like a challenge and are more willing to try things and to take risks. They exert good mental effort and accept that sometimes learning is hard. They are not easily frustrated. Less effective learners present evidence of dependence and fragility. They are easily frustrated when they are challenged or when they

make a mistake. They rely on others for their learning and selfesteem. Creativity: Creativity allows the learner to look at things in different ways. These learners are imaginative and believe in new possibilities. They enjoy exploring new ideas and looking at things from different perspectives. They are more playful in their learning, as

well

purposeful.

Less

effective

learners

are

characterized by literalness and are rule-bound. They tend to be unimaginative and prefer clear-cut and traditional ways of looking at things. They prefer having preset rules or directions to follow. Relationships/Interdependence: Effective learners are well balanced and are able to be both private learners and social learners. They know the value of watching others learn, and make use of othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; knowledge to expand upon their own. They understand that their peers and educators provide resources, as well as support. Yet, at the same time, they also know that effective learning may require time alone to study and ponder. Less effective learners are more likely to depend on others for reassurance and guidance, and are more likely to isolate themselves. Strategic Awareness: More effective learners are interested in learning about themselves as learners. They will try different strategies in order to learn more about how they learn. They handle frustration and disappointment and are more reflective and selfevaluative. They like to plan and organize their own learning. In contrast, less effective learners are more robotic in their learning. They are less self-aware and more self-conscious.

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The Future of Education In the many challenges that the future holds in store, humans the world over are increasingly viewing education as an indispensable asset in its attempt to attain the ideals of peace, freedom and social justice (Delors, 1996). The context in which education is situated could now be suggested to be within a nexus with globalization and citizenship (Hansen, 2011), such is the interdependence of the international economic, social and political systems, fuelled by the forced of globalization. There are pressures upon education systems globally to increase their outcomes by adopting standards based education reform. To meet these challenges, questions arise not about the significance of educational change and practice or its importance in dealing with the emergent global social and political challenges but around the how teachers actually achieve this in practice and how schools and school systems support them through effective professional learning practices as there is an apparent disjuncture between The growing demands on teacher and teacher educator practice and the heightened culture of accountability through standardized testing and national and international high-level goals pertaining to 21C skills and global citizenship and interdependence. This has meant that a greater emphasis is being placed on generating professional knowledge and professional learning and teaching practices that can have a practical impact on student achievement, which poses significant challenges for educational institutions and educators to scaffold and model 21C skills and the behaviours of global citizens and educators. The emergence of 21C global demands highlight the importance of building the capacity of teachers and teacher Â

46 Â

educators at both schools and universities to achieve the high level national and international goals pertaining to positive social equity and economic outcomes by developing people across all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds as global lifelong learners. The study’s dual premise is firstly that teachers, as learners, need to consciously ‘become’ global citizens and global learners before they can develop students and secondly that all educators, irrespective of their teaching discipline, can and should contribute to the students’ development as global learners and citizens. Critical Question: A critical question is where we as citizens learn the virtues of citizenship (global or local) and civic responsibilities? As people do not automatically learn to engage in public discourse or to question austerity or to exercise their civic rights (Kymlicka and Norman, 1994) the answer lay in the sphere of education. It is schools which must teach children how to engage in the kind of critical reasoning and moral perspective that defines the requite public resonableness. Children at school “must learn not just to behave in accordance with authority but to think critically about authority if they are to live up to the democratic ideal of sharing political sovereignty as citizens” (Gutmann in Kymlicka and Norman, 1994). As

Gutmann

suggests,

education

for

citizenship

will

necessarily involve “equipping children with the intellectual skills necessary to evaluate ways of life different from that of their parents because many if not all of the capacities necessary for choice among good lives are also necessary for the [‘right’] of choice among good societies.

That there are civic societies and / or groups within civic societies, however, that can reasonably be described as insular raises and issue of critical importance to the notions of citizenships and civic education. That is, those societies and groups, which rely heavily on uncritical acceptance of tradition and authority, while not strictly ruled out “are bound to be discouraged by the free, open, pluralistic, progressive” attitudes which liberal education encourages and which free societies demand as responsibilities. Clear state examples are North Korea and sub societal groups such as the Amish in the United States; in each case, leaders of these societies have moved to separate their children from national and international education streams and groupings. Despite disagreement on the balance between active and passive citizenship or between the weighting of rights and responsibilities, there is an increasing consensus from all points of the political spectrum for the view that citizenship must play an independent normative role in any plausible political theory and that the promotion of responsible citizenship is an urgent aim of public policy.

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High Level National Aims

Denmark: Research 2020 goals A competent, cohesive society A vision of a competent, cohesive society where the population has a high level of education and competence which will meet the needs of the individual and society, and where knowledge, cultural understanding and cross-cultural competencies will prepare Denmark for the global competition.

1. Education, learning and competence development: The aim is to strengthen the quality of education and increase the competence level of the Danish population

2. Cultural understanding and cross-cultural competences: The aim is to strengthen cultural understanding and cross-cultural competences so that businesses and society in general will be prepared to make proactive use of globalization.

Australia: Australia and the Asia Century White Paper

1. Australians need an evolving set of Asia-relevant capabilities that are both broad and specialised

2. Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education and training systems play a fundamental role in ensuring that all Australians have the right capabilities to take advantage of the Asia Century

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Harvreavesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 4th Way Placing the Need into context: Response to new competences by education systems. The nature of citizenship and global citizenship in the contemporary interdependent global age, then, needs to be explored to be useful in terms of education policy and practice. In terms of pedagogy, the experience to date, however, has been that international organizations such as the OECD and national governments and school systems have largely responded to the implications of 21C globalization with a narrow outcomes-based focus on standardized testing (PISA, TIMMS, NAPLAN, NCLB) to meet the 21C challenge rather than a more holistic one that aims to scaffold 21C-appropriate teaching and learning practices. While the assumption that literacy and numeracy proficiency is a valid one in terms of it being essential for children to be properly equipped for a 21C society, the experience is that the narrow testing focus has led to narrow and ineffective teaching and learning practices. Also of critical importance is the equity challenges that these tests pose, particularly in terms of their ability to cater for diverse school and community contexts and cultural literacies. This research recognizes the fundamental importance in ensuring real equity and that schools, well resourced or under resourced, do not presently have the capacity, alone, to develop the necessary bespoke programs to scaffold the level of 21C teaching and learning practice needed. This research is thus committed to exploring a theory in practice that is better equipped to support and sustain 21C practice. The relationship and roles of education authorites and schools in the context of teacher professional learning is at the core Â

50 Â

of any discussion of school effectiveness and student learning outcomes.

The

balance

between

centralization

and

decentralization and regulation and deregulation in terms of teacher practice, Andy Hargreaves (2008) argues, is one that has not been achieved. In “The Fourth Way of Change” (2008), Hargreaves studies long-term change spanning more than 30 years in eight innovative and traditional high schools in the United States and Canada. He characterizes four clear stages of change. Though Hargreaves does not overtly link the development of the different phases to increased globalization, it is acknowledged as being a clear factor that has driven the forces of standardization and marketisation that have defined each emergent phase. Hargreaves’ (2008) characterizes his First Way as being the ‘Golden Age’ of education as teachers had curriculum and teaching practice freedoms – professional autonomy. Good collaborative practice and teaching and learning innovation did exist during this period, however, with little or no attached data. The issue for this age is that it can also be characterized as having no meaningful

measures

student

achievement,

having

standardized testing and government intervention in terms of curriculum. He characterizes his Second Way as being a knee-jerk response in the form of an imposition of prescriptive standardization of curriculum and practice, market competition, and punitive measures, particularly in the UK. The paradox was that while parent consumers experienced freedom, professionals were subjected to greater controls at the cost to quality, breadth and depth of learning. In a 21C context, the 2nd way can be viewed as being the antithesis of the glocal practice.

The Third Way, in which contemporary education practice is located, can be characterized as being a softening of the 2nd Way methodology but being more incrimentalist in nature than progressive or reformist. There was a clear recognition that there had been too much coersion of teachers and prescription of curriculum during the 2nd Way, yet as Hargreaves (2008, p. 58) suggests that the 3rd Way remains every bit as top-down as the previous period but that there are “hyperactive [coaches rushing] around,

energetically

and

enthusiastically

delivering

the

government’s narrowly defined targets and purposes, rather than also developing and realizing inspiring purposes of their own”. The 3rd Way, then, remains top down in its conception, despite being delivered by more lateral coaching structures and has, anecdotally, stymied approaches that attempt to reform teaching and learning culture and practice to meet unique school circumstances; instead, fostering a production line culture in schools. In Australia, the Smarter School National Partnership (SSNP) program design and implementation is evidence of the same issue and further highlights practices that are consistent with Hargreaves’ 3rd Way characterisation. The SSNP Victorian Progress report (2010) reports on outputs, totalling $326 million, in terms of quantity rather than quality and much less on a set of guiding theories or practices. That is, programs appear not to facilitate reflective practice; the form of the leadership and teacher capacity outputs are more didactic than experiential; the success criteria are narrow and are consistent with ‘3rd Way’ goals. Further, a significant proportion of outputs provide for coaches and mentors to assist schools to implement literacy and numeracy programs that are yet to be evaluated by research (Ling, Usher, Eckersley, 2012) and have had little impact. In the words of Hargreaves, “despite the ‘collective effervescence’ most of the energy is directed towards hurriedly

and excitedly adopting short-term strategies and programs to deliver forms of achievement rather than towards longer term attempts to transform teaching and learning” (2008, p. 65). Similarly, in the United States, too often reforms are conceived and implemented in a top-down manner and on a scale that, consciously or not, denies the existence of very different localized contexts, thus negatively impacting on the reforms’ success (Tyack and Cuban, 1995). That is, large scale reforms, it is suggested, tend to be based on popular ideas such as phonics versus whole language or opposition to bilingual education, without consulting with teachers and teacher educators and without having a clear sense of the impact across very different student and school contexts. It is the contention of this research, then, that teachers should be supported as educators and as scholars to better provide for appropriate localised approaches and effective teaching and learning strategies – ultimately leading to higher levels of student achievement. Despite what has been termed a generation of failed reforms (Morrell & Noguera, 2011) that have both stymied progress and continue to stymie progress, this research will begin with the premise that widely criticized practices such as standardized testing do not necessitate ‘standardised teaching’ or ‘teaching to the test’ (acknowledging, though, that this practice is regrettably the rule rather than the exception). Rather it will view such testing as articulation of essential enabling learning benchmarks that are essential in foundation of key cognitive strategies (Conley, 2010). That is, the strategies that enable students to learn, understand, retain, use, and apply content from a range of disciplines; literacy and numeracy is both scaffolded by the core cognitive strategies and become essential enabling skills for the acquisition of these

strategies. Critical to this is the challenge of harnessing the learning and culturally appropriate teaching practices and perspectives of educators globally – in line with the ‘glocal’ ideal – to identify a more democratic, inclusive method to support teachers, teacher educators and students acquire Conley’s key cognitive strategies, for filling the gap between policy and classroom practice.

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Engström

Craft • Tacit knowledge • The worker is also designer

Mass production Process enhancement • Articulated knowledge • Practical Knowledge • Workers and designers are • Designers are used as separated, designers give the resource in product ‘final touch’ development

1400-‐1760 Empire

1760-‐1945 • Ideas created the modern state • New institutions (financial, judicial, educational) • New technologies – transport (railways, shipping), communications –(radio, telegraphy) • Ideas / political ideologies strengthened nation states and caused nationalist conflict)

Townsend

Thinking and acting individually

Citizenship identity

Local through a global (imperial) lens

1945-‐1970 • Technologies such as television, commercial airlines, computers, satellites enabled the spread of intensified activity globally. • Market liberalization and corporatisation • challenge to the primacy of national governments (more shared with global organisations, UN/ WTO) • Global stalemate – the Cold War Thinking and acting locally Thinking and acting locally 1870s Development of systems and nationally to adapt to socio-‐economic need 1970s/80s Linking education to arising from industrialisation national interests / risks.

National through a local lens

Mass customization • Architectural knowledge • Designers become full members of product development teams • Development of truly new products 1970-‐2000 • Deconstruction of global national hegemonies (with the end of the Cold War) • Development of a global media • Emergent trade blocs • Emergent awareness of scarcity of global resources – OPEC oil crisis • Development of human rights organisations Thinking locally and acting globally. PISA and TIMMS. A new period of accountability Centralized ‘innovation’

Co-‐configuration • Dialogical knowledge • Designers may become scouts, negotiators, boundary-‐spanners 2000-‐present • Social networking / social media • Arab spring • Interdependence • Climate change

Thinking and acting locally and globally Need a new generative teacher-‐teacher global networks. To fit with the co-‐configuration National through a global lens Global through local and national lenses

The reality: What are we doing and how do we know? Typically, programs and organizations that are aimed at supporting schools to develop students as learners and global citizens do so most visibly through school-school exchange programmes but also through curriculum innovation, pedagogical techniques and globally-focussed teaching materials. Globally, schools and organizations work to construct methodologies and strategies to support high schools to integrate a global perspective in the everyday teaching and school life. In the development of learning programmes. They work closely together with international schools, universities and organizations to secure a challenging and involving education to encourage the formation of young global citizens. In Australia, the BRIDGE Program, sponsored by the Asia Education Foundation, the Asia Society, in the United States and the DFiD North South partnerships organization in the United Kingdom adopt similar practices. The extent to which global learning, knowledge exchange and student / teacher exchange programs in schools contribute to the achievement of these goals, however, remains difficult to scaffold and to quantify due to two major factors. The first factor is the difficulty associated with defining the characteristics of a global citizen and in identifying its learning characteristics. The prevailing literature and practice in the global education field highlights this as

characterizes

global

education

practice

being

combinations of school-school exchanges; the development of discrete units in History or Geography curricula; or teacher professional learning to those ends. The prevailing theory and practice accepts global citizenship and global education as ideal types rather than as a characterization of a specific learning elements.

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The second factor, which stems directly from the first, is the associated

difficulty

with

measuring

and

comparing

the

contribution of global education programmes to student outcomes with that from non-global education contexts. That is, schools face difficulties in demonstrating the positive impact of global education as a learning outcome rather than as a service outcome and how to promote the contribution of teachers and program leaders from across the curriculum against a single outcome set. Both factors have created difficulties for schools in building and implementing professional learning programs and quality assurance structures across school contexts and diverse disciplines. Implications for Schools Further, these characteristic practices have been associated, causally, with a familiar set of challenges at schools. That is, the view that a reliance on teachers of particular disciplines or teachers with an inclination to be involved with different forms of exchanges and / or global social action activities engender a feeling of exclusion from within schools and a division amongst teaching staff. There is a feeling, too, that the practices of schools that promote global learning have not fully capitalized on the potential opportunities that a multi-dimensional, whole-school approach would afford. Opportunities such as providing a vehicle to counter the perception of a narrowing curriculum, a vehicle to break down the disciplinal silos and a vehicle to promote collegiality and engaging professional learning dialogue across all disciplines. At universities, too, teacher education programs are among the least internationally orientated activities and most prospective teachers do

not

take

courses

that

focus

emphasizing the long-term difficulties.

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international

subject,

The key to the realization of whole-school value is achieving a common recognition of global education as a learning form and the ability to identify it and support it through professional learning. This study aims to identify a common meta-language that educators can engage with, sustainably, to create the types of collaborative professional learning forms that will ultimately better prepare teachers and students as 21 Century global learners and citizens. What is happening Globally? While national governments such as Australia and the US worry about raising test scores in reading, maths, and science and subjects students to high-stakes testing and an increasingly standardized curriculum, other countries are doing taking different approaches. While one model of education is moving toward more standardization and centralization, other models, in Asian countries are working hard to allow more flexibility and autonomy at the local level. The US and Australia are investing resources to ensure that all students take the same courses and pass the same tests, while Asian countries are advocating individualization and attending to emotions, creativity, and other skills. While some countries are raising the stakes on testing, Asian countries are exerting great efforts to reduce the power and testing. CHINA In 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a policy authorized by the Chinese State Council to reform assessment and evaluation in elementary and secondary schools. Entitled Ministry of Educationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notice Regarding Furthering the Reform of Evaluation and Assessment Systems in Elementary and Secondary Schools, this policy calls for alternative ways of assessment to simple testing of academic knowledge. It specifically forbids ranking school districts, schools, or individual students based on test results or making test results public (Chinese Ministry of Education 2002). In 2003, the Chinese Ministry of Education released its plan for high school curriculum reform, which was scheduled to start in 2004. The primary goal of this reform is consistent with the previous curriculum reform for primary and middle school: foster creativity and the spirit to innovate and develop practical life skills. The specific strategies include granting more flexibility and autonomy to students and schools in deciding what to learn, more courses outside traditional

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disciplines, and a more authentic assessment and evaluation scheme. The reform pushes for more electives and fewer required courses for students, more local and school-based content, integrated studies, and such new subjects as art, environmental studies, and technology. A strong community service and experiences component is also included (Chinese Ministry of Education 2003). In addition, foreign language (mostly English) is a required course starting from 3rd grade in China. SOUTH KOREA In 2001, South Korea released the 7th National Curriculum. It aims to cultivate creative, autonomous, and self-driven citizens who will lead the era’s developments in information, knowledge, and globalization. The curriculum promotes fundamental and basic education that fosters sound human beings and nurtures creativity. It helps students build their self-motivated capacity and implements learner oriented education that suits students’ capability, aptitude, and career-development needs. And it ensures expanded autonomy for the local community and schools in curriculum planning and operation (Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development 2001). As in China, foreign-language learning (again, mostly English) is being promoted in the primary grades. SINGAPORE Since 1997, Singapore has engaged in a major curriculum- reform initiative. Titled Thinking Schools, Learning Nation, this initiative aims to develop all students into a community of active, creative learners with critical-thinking skills. Its key strategies include the explicit teaching of critical and creativethinking skills; the reduction of subject content; the revision of assessment modes; and greater emphasis on processes, rather than on outcomes, when appraising schools. In 2005, Singapore’s Ministry of Education released another major policy document, Nurturing Every Child: Flexibility and Diversity in Singapore Schools, which calls for a more varied curriculum, a focus on learning instead of on teaching, and more autonomy for schools and teachers (Ministry of Education 2005). Singapore is already multilingual in its education, but there have been recent calls for stronger teaching of Chinese.

JAPAN

Since 2001, Japan has been working to implement its Education Plan for the 21st Century, which has three major objectives. The first is “enhancing emotional education” by cultivating students as emotionally well-rounded human beings. The second objective is “realizing a school system that helps children develop their individuality and gives them diverse choices” by moving toward a diverse, flexible educational system that encourages individuality and cultivates creativity. The third is “promoting a system in which the school’s autonomy is respected” through decentralizing education administration, enhancing local autonomy, and enabling independent self-management at the school level (Tokutake 2000). UNITED KINGDOM On 15 November 2004, Charles Clarke, then Britain’s Education and Skills Secretary, launched a comprehensive national strategy to build stronger links between the nation’s education system and their world partners, requiring every British school to have an international partner school within the next five years. “Our vision,” Clarke noted (in Department for Education and Skills 2004), “is that the people of the UK should have the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to fulfill themselves, to live in and contribute effectively to a global society and to work in a competitive, global economy. It means, in short, putting the world into the world class standards to which we aspire.

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OECD 21 Century Challenges: 6 Scenarios for the Future Story lines have been developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in its Schooling for Tomorrow project that led to the formulation of scenarios for the future of schools (OECD, 2001). The starting point was a conference on ‘Schooling for Tomorrow’ in Rotterdam in November 2000 that involved ministers and senior officers of education systems. Further work with representatives of key stakeholders led to the formulation of scenarios in 2001. The six scenarios described the possible strategic directions for schools over 10 – 15 years, with two maintaining the status quo, two involving re-schooling, and two resulting in de- schooling. The following is a brief account of the major features of each. It summarises a revised version of the initial formulation (Istance, 2003, Chapter 62). Maintaining the status quo Scenario 1: Bureaucratic systems continue with pressure to sustain uniformity and resist radical change, even in the face of critical commentary. Schools remain distinct entities. Efforts to change are countered by claims that equality of opportunity would be threatened and that important roles for schools related to socialisation would be jeopardized. Curriculum and qualifications would remain centralized and student assessment is the key element in accountability frameworks. The classroom and the teacher remain the key units of organisation. There is an emphasis on efficiency, and national and state / provincial departments maintain their roles despite pressures for decentralization. Teachers are civil servants, and union and professional associations remain strong. Scenario 2: Teachers leaving the profession without replacement characterise the second scenario that endeavours to maintain the status quo. This is the ‘meltdown scenario’. Not all school systems or parts of school systems would experience a crisis in this regard. There would be severe teacher shortages in some settings and this would limit capacity to deliver the curriculum. Crisis management would often prevail and a fortress mentality would be evident. The international market for quality teachers would be strengthened. Remuneration for teachers would increase in an effort to sustain the profession. Re-schooling Scenario 3: The re-schooling scenarios see an increase in public support for schools and a new status for the profession. The

‘schools as core social centres’ scenario would see the school playing an important role in building a sense of community and creating social capital. A range of cooperative arrangements between schools and other agencies, institutions and organisations will be evident. There would be a broadening of the curriculum and more non-formal learning. Management of such enterprises would be more complex and leadership would be widely dispersed. Local decision-making will be important but national and international frameworks of support will be utilised. Additional resources will be secured to upgrade facilities. A core of teachers will enjoy high status but a range of persons from other professions will be involved in different contractual arrangements to support schools. Scenario 4: The second re-schooling scenario sees a strengthening of schools as ‘focused learning organisations’, with emphasis on a knowledge rather than social agenda. Specialisations and diversity will flourish as will research on different pedagogies. Management involves flatter organization structures and the building of teams and networks that draw on a range of expertise. There are high levels of investment in infrastructure, especially in disadvantaged settings. There is extensive use of ICT and partnerships with tertiary education and other institutions involved in knowledge creation and dissemination. Teachers enjoy high status as professionals, with substantial engagement in research and development as well as continuous professional learning. Much if the latter is in networks, including international networks. There is diversity and mobility in employment arrangements. De-schooling Scenario 5: Increasing dissatisfaction with the formal institution of the school results in the weakening of schools and school systems and, in varying degrees, leads to the ‘de-schooling’ scenarios. One is known as ‘learning networks and the network society’ in which dissatisfaction and demand for more diversified approaches to learning results in a weakening of the formal institution of the school. This scenario is clearly supported by the powerful capacities for learning now possible through ICT. Home schooling flourishes in this scenario. Schools may continue but in networks that together furnish the services that are required. Different governance arrangements prevail but there will be a requirement that certain public obligations are met in the interests of access and equity. There will be a diminution of the teaching profession as it is currently understood but a range of new learning professionals will emerge.

Scenario 6: The second de-schooling scenario is described as ‘extending the market model’. It is also consistent with the loss of trust described above, as an increasing number of parents see schooling as a private good. The market for different approaches to learning flourishes, with different providers furnishing information on a range of indicators to attract customers. There is a greatly reduced role for public authorities that may be limited to market regulation more than provision. New learning professionals emerge. There is clearly potential for substantial inequities as far as access is concerned. Work continues in the Schooling for Tomorrow project. Studies in five nations will be utilised to construct a ’toolbox’ to assist policymakers and practitioners at all levels to develop their own scenarios.

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Teacher Practice Responses to new competences – teacher collaborative practice Despite the top-down systemic approaches prevalent, globally, there are projects that have taken up the idea of collaborative

support

but

from

within

lateral

bottom-up

partnership context. For example, in a single context or micro setting, the peer-driven Raising Achievement / Transforming Learning (RATL) project initiated by Hargreaves in the UK was based on lateral (teacher-teacher) support rather than system-driven interventions and resulted in two-thirds the number of participating schools improving at double the rate of the national average over two years (Hargreaves et al. 2007, 2008). There has been demonstrated success, too, in professional partnership relationships such as the Annenburg Challenge program in the US that encourages participating schools to link with other schools and learn from and support one another. Such programs demonstrate the success of school-school partnerships and teachers supporting each others’ practice. Further, on a national scale, the National Writing Project is a successful example of scholarly collaboration of educators, teachers and teacher educators (Leiberman, 2002, 2005). Reflective Practice as Coolaborative Practice: Schön Reflective practice is of critical importance for citizens and for educators to model through learning practice. The term refers to "the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning", which, according to the originator of the term, is "one of the defining characteristics of professional practice". According to one definition it involves "paying critical attention to the practical values and theories which inform everyday actions, by examining practice reflectively and reflexively. This leads to developmental insight".

Reflective practice can be an important tool in practice-based professional learning settings where individuals learning from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal teaching or knowledge transfer, may be the most important source of personal professional development and improvement. Further, it is also an important way to be able to bring together theory and practice; through reflection you are able to see and label schools of thought and theory within the context of your work (2007, McBrien). The notion of reflective practice was introduced by Donald Schön in his book The Reflective Practitioner in 1983, however, the concepts underlying reflective practice are much older. John Dewey was among the first to write about Reflective Practice with his exploration of experience, interaction and reflection. The following are excerpts from Schön’s work: Donal Schön: The Reflective Practitioner Part one: Professional knowledge and reflection in action There are three components to professional knowlegde: • An underlying discipline or basic science component upon which the practice rests or from which it is developed. • An applied science or ”engineering” component from which many of the day-to-day diagnostic procedures and problem-solutions are derived. • A skills and attitudinal component that concerns the actual performance of services to the client, using the underlying basic and applied knowledge. (24, Schein: Professional Education, 1973) For the educator, professional practice is about more than merely transferring knowledge, it is a process of problem solving. That is, problems of choice or decision are solved through the selection, from available means, of the one best suited to establish ends. For teachers, this involves decisions around creating learning experiences that meet the bespoke needs of the class. While problem solving is an important skills for the educator with an over-emphasis on problem solving, we ignore the equally important problem setting or the process by which we define the decision to be made, the ends to be achieved, the means which may be chosen. In real-world practice, problems do not present themselves to the practitioner as givens. They must be constructed from the materials of problem situations, which are puzzling, troubling, and uncertain. (40)

Problem setting is a process in which, interactively, we name the things to which we will attend and frame the context in which we will attend to them. (40) It is useful to think of the process of both problem solving and problem setting as a combination of ‘Knowing in Action’ and “Reflecting in Action”. Knowing in action: Knowing has the following properties: There are actions, recognitions, and judgements, which we know how to carry out spontaneously; we do not have to think about them prior to or during their performance. We are often unaware of having learned to do these things; we simply find ourselves doing them. In some cases, we were once aware of the understandings, which were subsequently internalized in our feeling for the stuff of action. In other cases, we may never have been aware of them. In both cases, however, we are usually unable to describe the knowing which our action reveals. (54) Reflecting in action: Improvisation consists on varying, combining and recombining a set of figures within the schema which bounds and gives coherence to the performance. (55) They are reflecting in action on the music they are collectively making and on their individual contributions to it, thinking what they are doing and, in the process, evolving their way of doing it. (56) A practitioner’s reflection can serve as s corrective to overlearning. Through reflection, he can surface and criticize the tacit understandings that have grown up around the repepitive experiences of a specialized practice, and can make new sense of the situations of uncertainty or uniqueness which he may allow himself to practice. (61) When a practitioner reflects in and on his practice, the possible objects of his reflection are as varied as the kinds of phenomena before him and the systems of knowing-in-practice which he brings to them. He may reflect on the tacit norms and appreciations which underlies a judgement, or on the strategies and theories implicit a pattern of behaviour. He may reflect on the feeling for a situation which has led him to adopt a particular course of action, on the way in which he has framed the problem he is trying to solve, or on the role he has constructed for himself within a larger institutional context. (62) …then the practitioner may surface and criticize his initial understanding of the phenomenon, construct a new description of it, and test the new description by an on-the-spot experiment. Sometimes he arrives at a new theory of the phenomenon by articulating a feelimg he has about it. (63) The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomena before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. He carries out an experiment which serves to generate both a new understanding of the phenomena and the change in the situation. When someone reflects in action, he becomes a researcher in the practice context. He is not dependent on the categories of established theory and technique, but constructs a new theory of the unique case. (68) Part two: Professional context for reflection in action Architects: In a good process of design, this conversation with the situation is reflective. In answer to the situations back-talk, the designer reflects in action on the construction of the problem, the strategies of action, or the model of the phenomena, which have been implicit in his moves. (79) Having constructed and tested a solution to the puzzle, the Supervisor means to keep it open to further inquiry. The Resident should use the tentative solution to guide his work with the patient, but he should keep the puzzle alive. (124) The structure of reflection in action: Because each practitioner treats his case as unique, he cannot deal with it in applying

standard theories or techniques. In the half hour or so that he spends with the student, he must construct an understanding of the situation as he finds it. And because he finds the situation problematic, he must reframe it. (129) But the practitioners moves also produce unintended changes which give the situation new meanings. The situation talks back, the practitioner listens, and as he appreciates what he hears, he reframes the situation once again. (131-132) When the practitioner tries to solve the problem he has set, he seeks both to understand the situation and to change it. (134) That is, the practitioner has built up a repertoire of exambles, images, understandings, and actions… When a practitioner makes sense of a situation he percieves to be unique, he sees it as something already present in his repertoire.(138) Seeing-as is not enough, however. When a practitioner sees a new situation as some element of his repertoire, he gets a new way of seeing it and a new possibility for action in it, but the adequacy and utility of his new view must still be discovered in action. Reflection in action necessarily involves experiment. (141) Having constructed and tested a solution to the puzzle, the Supervisor means to keep it open to further inquiry. The Resident should use the tentative solution to guide his work with the patient, but he should keep the puzzle alive. (124) The structure of reflection in action: Because each practitioner treats his case as unique, he cannot deal with it in applying standard theories or techniques. In the half hour or so that he spends with the student, he must construct an understanding of the situation as he finds it. And because he finds the situation problematic, he must reframe it. (129) Part three: Conclusions The traditional professional-client relationship, linked to the traditional epistemology of practice, can be described as a contract, a set of norms governing the behavior of each party to the interaction. (292) It is important to note, first of all, that reflective practice does not free us from the need to worry about the client rights and mechanisms of professional accountability. My concern is to show how the professional-client may be transformed, within a framework of accountability, when the professional is able to function as a reflective practitioner. That is, just as reflective practice takes the form of a reflective conversation with the situation, so the reflective practitioers relation with his client takes the form of a literally reflective conversation. (295) Both client and professional bring to their encounter a body of understandings which they can only very partially communicate to one another and much of which they cannot describe to themselves. (297) Within such a contract the professional is more directly accountable to his client than in the traditional contract. There is also room here for other means of assuring accountability, that is, for peer review, for monitoring by organized clients, and for the ”default procedures” of public protest or litigation.

Expert: I am presumed to know, and must claim to do so, regardless of my own uncertainty. Reflective practitioner: I am predumed to know, but I am not the only one in the situation to have relevant and important knowledge. My uncertainties may be a source of learning for me and for them. Expert: Keep my distance from the client, and hold onto the experts role. Give the client a sense of my expertise, but convey a feeling of warmth and sympathy as a ”sweetener”. RP: Seek out connections to the client´s thoughts and feelings. Allow his respect for my knowledge to emerge from his discovery of it in the situation. Expert: Look for deference and status in the clients response to my professional persona. RF: Look for the sense of freedom and of real connection to the client, as a consequence of no longer needing to maintain a professional facede. (300) Traditional contract: I put myself into the professionals hands and, in doing this, I gain a sense of security based on faith. Reflective contract: I join the professional in making sense of my case, and in doing this I gain a sense of increased involvement and action. TC: I have the comfort of being in good hands. I need only comply with his advise and all will be well. RC: I can exercise some control over the situation. I am not wholly dependent on him; he is also dependent on information and action that only I can undertake. TC: I am pleased to be served by the best person availiable. RC: I am pleased to be able to test my judgments about his competence. I enjoy the exitement of discovery about his knowledge, about the phenomena of his practice, and about myself. (302) When practitioners are unaware of their frames for roles or problems, they do not experience the need to choose among them. They do not attend to the ways in which they construct the reality in which they function; for them, it is simply the given reality. (310) When a practitioner becomes aware of his frames, he also becomes aware of the possibility of alternative ways of framing the reality of his practice. This practice is the practice of innovation. (310)

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Scholarship of Teaching and Learning It is important at this point to highlight the critical link between schools and universities at a global level as representing the key difference between this research and the previous collaborative models. This link fosters genuine scholarship of Teaching and Learning and student achievement outcomes, consistent with Boyer’s theory (1990) of overlapping scholarships; that of discovery; of integration; of application and; of teaching. Further, as the model involves educators that span the education sectors, it engenders a vital sustainability element, which is critical to any successful professional learning model. Accordingly, this project seeks to (re)create an autonomous creative space not enjoyed by teachers since the period of Hargreaves’ 1st Way but critically to create it with the support of academic research methodology through partnership with tertiary institutions. The Global Educators’ Learning Community aims to scaffold an active role for the teacher as scholar rather than the passive teacher as presenter, while simultaneously providing excellent SoTL outcomes for teacher educators and cultivate the development of scholarly reflective pre-service teachers. Also of critical importance is that this project seeks to validate educators as scholars equally across education sectors, understanding that each practitioner has valuable experiences and understandings to share, avoiding

the

top-down

hierarchical

model

‘professional

development’ in the traditional mode. The Glocal Educators project seeks to embody Boyer’s (2010) principles of scholarship to create a scalable and sustainable lateral scholarly community of educators that will foster more sophisticated teaching and learning outcomes, consistent with 21C

imperatives. Gardner (2009) outlines specific cognitive abilities that will be sought and cultivated by community and industry leaders in the

years

ahead;

entrepreneurship

abilities

such

creativity,

initiative,

and problem-solving are he suggests will be

marketable attributes for the 21st century. Further, both emphasise the need to synthesise knowledge across disciplinary boundaries and collaborate across networks. This research recognizes, then, that educators will need not only to ‘teach’ but also to enact these attributes through authentic practices in order to achieve this. Critical to supporting 21C attributes is the element of scholarship. The scholarship of teaching is about improving student learning within the broad education community generally, by collecting and communicating results of ones own work on teaching and learning from within the discipline and context. The intention of the scholarly teacher and teacher educator in this model would be to improve student learning across the whole community, not just the learning of ones own students. The aim is to foster a community of educators who go beyond the disciplinal subject matter and beyond the institutional and national contexts (3rd Way approaches) to the communication of the results of ones own work on teaching and learning to a larger GELC audience for it to be developmentally critiqued; this is at the heart of scholarship. Shulman (1993) rightly suggests that scholarship entails artifact, a product, some form of community property that can be shared, discussed, critiqued, exchanged, built upon. So if teaching and learning, or pedagogy in a school and university context is to become an important part of scholarship, we have to provide it with the same kind of documentation and transformation. Trigwell, Martin, Benjamin and Prosser (2000), argue that it’s about reflective practice and it’s about active local and global dissemination of

that practice for the benefit of learning and teaching. It is the aim of this project, then, to establish such a community and measure the impact on teaching and learning across sectors and across national contexts for the benefit of all educators and ultimately students.

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Kieth Trigwell: A Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Model Research conducted by Keith Trigwell et al. in “Scholarship of Teaching: A Model” outlines the following categories of attitudes and approaches to teaching and learning and contextualizes them within a “scholarship of teaching” framework: A. The scholarship of teaching is about knowing the literature on teaching by collecting and reading that literature. B. Scholarship of teaching is about improving teaching by collecting and reading the literature on teaching. C. Scholarship of teaching is about improving student learning by investigating the learning of one’s own students and one’s own teaching. D. Scholarship of teaching is about improving one’s own students’ learning by knowing and relating the literature on teaching and learning to discipline-specific literature and knowledge. E. The scholarship of teaching is about improving student learning within the discipline generally, by collecting and communicating results of one’s own work on teaching and learning within the discipline. TABLE 1.

A. Knowing the literature on teaching by collecting and reading the literature. In Category A, scholarship is described as the intention to know the literature on teaching, and to achieve this through the strategy of collecting and reading this literature. I think of the research projects on teaching and of journals like Teaching Sociology and also Boyer of course. It’s when you really know the literature, read and know what it says about teaching. That is what it is to be scholarly. B. Improving teaching by using the literature on teaching. In Category B, the approach to scholarship is still built on the strategy of collecting and reading the teaching and learning literature, but in this category, unlike Category A, the intention is not only to know the literature, but to use that knowledge to improve teaching.

Scholarship in teaching, as distinct from research and publication, is being familiar with the literature and using this to improve teaching. Scholarship in teaching is when you introduce a new teaching idea into classes after reviewing the literature. Not introducing new ideas in teaching, or introducing new ideas without this step means scholarship is absent. C. Improving student learning by investigating one’s own teaching and student learning. In Category C, there is a qualitative shift in both intention and strategy. The intention is to go beyond improving teaching to improving student learning through a strategy of investigating one’s own students’ learning and one’s own teaching. Scholarship in teaching is about learning about your students’ learning and what makes learning possible. It is an investigation of the teaching/learning dynamic and the institutional context, and reflection on this - and then changing practice. I see teaching as requiring an orientating philosophy about teaching and learning and informed evidence of what works and doesn’t work. Informed through the literature and through practice. Scholarship in teaching involves developing and reflecting on and reviewing one’s own thinking about how students learn and what helps this. D. Improving student learning by attending to the literature of discipline as well as that on teaching and learning, and relating one to the other. Category D has the same intention as Category C (to improve student learning), but the strategy is to attend to two lots of literature, that within the discipline as well as that on teaching and learning, and to relate one to the other. Engaging in teaching in a reflective manner, remaining focused on student learning and desired discipline specific outcomes. Drawing on research on student learning and teaching, substantiated experiences of other teachers in the discipline and being across debates in the profession and the discipline. No matter how good a teacher you are, you have to have knowledge of the discipline as well and be able to integrate those two things. So, there’s two research fields to be across. In computer systems there’s a way of thinking, which can be picked up on in the teaching. I’m sure it helps students see what you are on about and almost work through things intuitively. E. Improve student learning generally, by communicating the results of one’s own work on teaching and learning to a larger audience. The approach to scholarship, as described in Category E, is again qualitatively different in both the intention and the strategy. The intention is to improve student learning generally, not just the learning of one’s own students. The strategy is to go beyond literature collection and investigation of student learning to the communication of the results of one’s own work on teaching and learning to a larger audience. I think it resembles a regular research process. You spend some time looking at different approaches to teaching and learning within a specific field of knowledge and about learning in general in that area. You research how the knowledge is known and practised and applied within the discipline and you consider what others have done. and then you plan your program and you monitor the results and improve it. It is also about writing about it and communicating it to others in the larger arena. You communicate what you do locally so other students within the discipline or profession can be helped to learn and more can be known about how the learning is achieved and how thinking and knowledge is structured in the areas. It’s about reflective practice and it’s about active dissemination of that practice for the benefit of learning and teaching.

The challenge for 21C education is to create within each school a culture of scholarly reflective practice that enables it to identify and address its own set of unique challenges; it is only such a prevalent scholarly culture adopted across all schools that has the potential to scaffold appropriate and scalable practices in schools to fit the unique issues that that these schools face. All schools are challenged by their authority to plan and achieve continuous

improvement;

requires

schools

analyse

its

performance and using the results of this analysis, to generate priorities for improved student performance. The Glocal Educators key notion is that strategic learning partnerships created across education sectors are a genuine vehicle for both schools and universities to become more effective ‘learning organisations’ is of fundamental importance to creating a scalable and sustainable model. The project concept is consistent with the primacy of problem setting over problem solving (Schön,1983; Wenger 1998, 2002; Engström 2001). They argue that organisations, generally establish self-reinforcing systems in which either role and problems are framed to suit a theory of action, or a theory of action is evolved to suit the role and problems that are framed. Valuable learning outcomes are lost in both scenarios. The partnerships, created and modelled by this project, is designed to scaffold effective problem setting through researchbased dialogic reflection-in-action. That is, the ‘action’ extends thinking and the reflection feeds on the action and the results. Each feeds the other and each sets boundaries for each other. Critically, it supports practitioners at education institutions at all levels individually and collectively, to develop the key enabling (Barrie,

2006) cognitive strategies, which fosters a reflective and academic approach to solving the contextual issues faced. Key to the project methodology will be the experiential professional learning model that is embedded in the experience. Through effective reflection and questioning, collaboration forces people

confront

their

own

presumptions.

doing

so,

participants are, in effect, forcing themselves to be view themselves and their ideas from outside of themselves in order to assess their validity. In the course of a collaborative dialogue, participants are confronted with an array of hypotheses, convictions, conjectures and theories offered by the other participants, and themselves - all of which subscribe to some sort of belief or philosophy. The model requires that - honestly and openly, rationally and imaginatively they confront the dogma by asking questions.

Write it!

77 Â

Socratic Dialogue •

Identify overarching topic and / or aim: o Explore the implications of ‘glocal’ practice for educators

•

Quick-write. Participants write what the topic means to them and shares with the group.

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Ask participants to identify one rich question that they think would be critical to understanding or progressing the overarching topic / aim.

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Each participant ‘justifies’ their question

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Discussion and ranking of each of the question against the overarching topic and / or aim

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Unpacking of the top ranked question with scaffolding questions to derive a fuller meaning / intention

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Discussion of the top ranked question starts with the person asking it. Each 5-10 mins, participants ask questions that progress the discussion. This process repeats for the allotted time.

•

Refocus on topic / aim on the basis of the discussion.

•

Focusing on the implications for the future.

Participants ask one question each for consideration as the next step.

Scaffolding Pedagogies • Practices of Incremental theory Vs Entity theory • Positive interpersonal relationship building - High expectations and high support. (Pygmalian effect) • Visible thinking strategies • Socratic discussion format • Myself as person: myself as learner

•

Action Research techniques (plan – action – observe – reflect) Scholarship principles (telling others) of teaching and learning Visible thinking routines

Supporting Learning Theory Dweck: individuals can be placed on a continuum according to their implicit views of where ability comes from. Some believe their success is based on innate ability; these are said to have a "fixed" theory of intelligence (fixed mindset). Others, who believe their success is based on having opposite mind set, which involves hard work, learning, training and doggedness are said to have a "growth" or an "incremental" theory of intelligence (growth mindset). Individuals may not necessarily be aware of their own mindset, but their mindset can still be discerned based on their behavior. It is especially evident in their reaction to failure. Fixed-mindset individuals dread failure because it is a negative statement on their basic abilities, while growth mindset individuals don't mind or fear failure as much because they realize their performance can be improved and learning comes from failure. These two mindsets play an important role in all aspects of a person's life. Dweck argues that the growth mindset will allow a person to live a less stressful and more successful life. Piaget – a child learns everything that they know. Rosenthal – Pygmalian effect Collis: Solo Taxonomy As learning progresses it becomes more complex. SOLO, which stands for the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome, is a means of classifying learning outcomes in terms of their complexity, enabling us to assess students’ work in terms of its quality not of how many bits of this and of that they got right. At first we pick up only one or few aspects of the task (unistructural), then several aspects but they are unrelated (multistructural), then we learn how to

ELLI Dimensions Changing and Learning This dimension is about your sense of yourself as someone who can and will change and learn and get better over time. It is having a positive learning story or journey to reflect upon. This gives you a layer of confidence, helping you to cope with obstacles and difficulties by putting them in perspective. Learners without much of this are likely to feel ‘stuck and static’ instead of having a ‘trajectory’: a sense of having ‘come a long way’ and of being able to ‘go places’ with their learning.

GHS Goals Deal with cultural differences

Critical curiosity This dimension is about your desire to delve into topics and get beneath the surface, find things out and ask questions, especially ‘Why?’ If you are a critically curious learner, you will be unlikely simply to accept what you are told without the reasoning behind it. You might challenge what a teacher says, rather than take it at face value. Learners who lack Critical Curiosity

Deal with cultural differences

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• • •

•

• •

Questioning / thinking stems and assessment forms Authenticity of tasks and assessment Conscious creation of learning identity Socratic discussion format Analysis / synthesis / coding techniques Socratic discussion format Critical reading strategies Activity system (problem setting) routine Authenticity of task and assessment Experiential learning framework Visible thinking routines

Advocacy and selfadvocacy through visible thinking and guided reading Predictions Headlines Positive inter-

integrate them into a whole (relational), and finally, we are able to generalised that whole to as yet untaught applications (extended abstract). The diagram lists verbs typical of each such level. Costa’s work also highlights that inquiry is an important aspect of curriculum. Inquiry-based learning focuses on the student as learner, developing skillful, open-ended questioning skills. Kolb’s work highlights how experiential learning can exist without a teacher and relates solely to the meaning making process of the individual's direct experience. However, though the gaining of knowledge is an inherent process that occurs naturally, for a genuine learning experience to occur, there must exist certain elements. According Kolb, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences. He states that in order to gain genuine knowledge from an experience, certain abilities are required: • the learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience; • the learner must be able to reflect on the experience; • the learner must possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience; and • the learner must possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience. Marzano’s new taxonomy is made up of three systems and the knowledge domain, all of which are important for thinking and learning. The three systems are the Self-System, the Meta-Cognitive System and the Cognitive System. When faced with the option of starting a new task, the Self-System decides whether to continue the current behavior or engage in the

might generally turn up and expect to be taught, rather than expect to do the work themselves, seeing themselves as passive recipients of their learning, rather than active agents in it.

Meaning making This dimension is about your ability to make sense of everything by ‘relating’ to it: relating to facts and ideas, linking them up, seeing patterns and connections and constructing a ‘map’ of your learning, so you can see how it all fits together and ‘know your way around’. The personal nature of Meaning Making is important: it includes feeling that ‘learning matters to you and ‘connects with your story’ and so helps you to become engaged, linking new ideas to more familiar ones, connecting the present with the past and the here-and-now to more remote ideas and experiences. Without this, everything seems fragmented and nothing really makes sense.

Connect knowledge and practice

Resilience The opposite of dependence appears to be resilience & robustness. Learners with these characteristics like a challenge, and are willing to `give it a go' even when the outcome and the way to proceed are uncertain. They accept that learning is

Use innovative ways in dealing with global challenges

• • • • •

• • •

personal relationship building - High expectations and support. (Pygmalian effect)

new activity: the Metacognitive System sets goals and keeps track of how well they are being achieved: the Cognitive system processes all the necessary information, and the Knowledge Domain provides the content.

Decision theory based routine Problem setting techniques Questioning / thinking stems Activity system Mind mapping

Schön, has been a significant promoter of constructivism to understand workplace learning. Schön’s view is that professionals live in a world of uncertainty, instability, complexity, and value conflict, where they often must deal with problems for which no existing rules or theories learned through formal training or past experience can apply. He was most interested in how reflection, and particularly critical reflection, plays out in the ongoing learning of professionals in their practice. He proposed that practitioners learn by noticing and framing problems of interest to them in particular ways, then inquiring and experimenting with solutions.

Activity system routine Socratic discussion format Visible thinking routines

Vygotsky’s theory founded on constructivism asserts three major themes: • Social interaction plays a fundamental role in the process of cognitive development. In contrast to Jean Piaget’s understanding of child development (in which development necessarily precedes learning), Vygotsky felt social learning precedes development. He states: “Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people and then inside the child.” (Vygotsky, 1978). • The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD

sometimes hard for everyone, and are not frightened of finding things difficult. They have a high level of `stickability', and can readily recover from frustration. They are able to `hang in' with learning even though they may, for a while, feel somewhat confused or even anxious. They don't mind making mistakes every so often, and can learn from them. Creativity Those learners who score highly on this dimension are able to look at things in different ways. They like playing with ideas and taking different perspectives, even when they don't quite know where their trains of thought are leading. They are receptive to hunches and inklings that bubble up into their minds, and make use of imagination, visual imagery and pictures and diagrams in their learning. They understand that learning often needs playfulness as well as purposeful, systematic thinking. Learning Relationships Learners who score highly on this dimension are good at managing the balance between being sociable and being private in their learning. They are not completely independent, nor are they dependent. They like to learn with and from others, and to share their difficulties, when it is appropriate. They acknowledge that there are important other people in their lives who help them learn, though they may vary in who those people are, e.g. family, friends or teachers. They know the value of learning by

Use innovative ways in dealing with global challenges

Enter into Constructiv e dialogue

is the distance between a student’s ability to perform a task under adult guidance and/or with peer collaboration and the student’s ability solving the problem independently. According to Vygotsky, learning occurred in this zone.

•

• • •

Identity and internalization of the meta-competence Mind mapping Organisation strategies Questioning / thinking stems

Deakin Crick suggests that a meta-competence involves the ability to meet complex demands by drawing on and mobilizing psychological resources (including skills and attributes) across different contexts (OECD, 2005). For example, the ability to communicate effectively is a competency that may draw on an individual’s knowledge of language, practical IT skills and attitudes toward those with whom he or she is communicating, which would be needed across disciplinal and vocational realms.

watching and emulating other people, including their peers. They make use of others as resources, as partners and as sources of emotional support. And they also know that effective learning may also require times of studying or `dreaming' on their own. Strategic awareness – Some learners appear to be more sensitive to their own learning. They are interested in becoming more knowledgeable and more aware of themselves as learners. They like trying out different approaches to learning to see what happens. They are reflective and good at self-evaluation. They can judge how much time, or what resources, a learning task will require. They are able to talk about learning and about themselves as learners. They know how to repair their own emotional mood when they get frustrated or disappointed. They like being given responsibility for planning and organizing their own learning.

Place themselves in an interconnec ted world

The SOLO Taxonomy A Means of Shaping and Assessing Higher Order Teaching and Learning The belief about education that supports the Glocal Educators project is that it should lead to higher order thinking for both teachers and students. The discussion rests on the assumption that educators should intend that students develop deep knowledge in their fields, if necessary change their conceptions and their world-view, and to learn to think critically. This implies that educators should teach to facilitate such outcomes, deliberately and visibly. The use of the SOLO Taxonomy is an effective way of influencing and assessing learning outcomes to facilitate higher order thinking. Examples of responses at each level of the SOLO Taxonomy Prestructural No Idea Uni-Structural Real learning is what you remember, that is important values and lessons, even information you remember from schooling in the years after it. That is how I found it. You remember it and in your later years it is amazing the data you recall. Multi-Structural Learning is to have real understanding about a particular subject whether through actual experience or through other sources such as text books. This belief was probablyacquired through the conservative thinking of the education system I was brought up with. I know that I can learn easily and quickly if there is a teacher who teachers in a methodologically planned way; where I can see the plan and know where I am heading. I usually go about learning by reading, memorising, by applying to my actual experiences or knowing about other people’s experiences. By applying it to reality it becomes simpler. Other peoples’ espoused opinions and beliefs and values influence how I learn, and sometimes make it difficult to learn. By this I mean, I sometimes want to hold my own opinion but other people try to sway me to their belief. I know that I have learned something when I feel satisfied. I also know when I use the knowledge years later. Relational Learning involves the sharing of knowledge to facilitate personal growth and a greater understanding of the world around me. This perception of learning is based entirely on my own subjective value judgements and could not be considered a view that I have acquired within the education system which for the most part, focuses on a relatively utilitarian

approach. That is, producing skilled people for the work force. Learning for me is facilitated by my being able to gain further insightinto why I am here, how I fit into the society in which I live, and why certain attitudes and belief systems exist in society. I know I have learned something when I reach a greater understanding of myself as a person and the comples inter-relationships that mould the society in which I live. Extended Abstract. First of all, learning for me is a body of information that’s there to be acquired. But I don’t think that the body of information should be taken in and just regurgitated to others. So often in our society, people think that learning is about how well or good you can regurgitate it. I believe in the synthesis of information and ones own life experiences. That is, applying your own experience to the information that you learn and looking for the sense or reasoning contained within that melting pot of ‘experience and information’. This is the only way we make sense of our world. In order to feel confident in the world we live in we need to have understanding and knowledge of ourselves, others, and the things around us. If we know how something works and understand it, it gives us confidence which I believe is a virtue. However, it only becomes a virtue when we use that knowledge and understanding for the good of mankind. And this is where moral implications come into play. Knowledge and understanding of something involved with law and order, or more specifically ‘justice’, is what continues ‘good’ learning.

Write it!

Example 1: Mathematics Stem 1: The machine changes numbers. It adds the number put in three times and then adds 2 more. So if 4 is put in, it put out 14.

The Mathematics Machine

If 14 is put out, what is put in? Answer: 4 One piece of information is used, one answer required. This is obtained from the last sentence or the diagram. This is a uni-structural response. (M) If 5 is put into the machine, what number will be put out? Answer: 17 All the information (two pieces) in the stem is used as instructions. This is a multistructural response. If the machine puts out 41, what number was put in? Answer: 13 All the information is used but in addition the student has to extract the principle. That is, the relational response. The cycle is at the Concrete symbolic Mode of Thinking. It is based on number system in a real-world context. Let us take this example to a further level of sophistication. Stem 2: If x is the number put out by the machine when the number y is put in, write the formula which will give the value of y whatever the value of x. Answer: y=x-2 3 The student has to extract the general principle and write it in an abstract form. Distracting cues must be put aside as hypotheses are formed and tested. Ultimately the relationships are identified in a logical formula. e.g.: x = 3y + 2 x – 2 = 3y + 2 –2 x – 2 = 3y x–2=y 3 This is an illustration of how a cycle of responses may lead to thinking at a higher Mode i.e. at a ‘new mode’ in Figure 2. In this case the response has moved up to the Extended Abstract response.

Example 2: Environmental Studies Stem: Global warming and floods Global warming is causing the melting of glacial ice in moraines holding back lakes at the head of valleys in the Himalayan Mountains. This has resulted in outbursts of lake waters and severe floods down valleys such as Punakha and Wangdue in the summer of 1994. There was some lost of life, many people lost property and environmental damage was widespread along river systems. The Bhutan Government has spent considerable funds assessing glacial river systems and undertaking remedial and mitigation works Question: What measures can be taken to stop or mitigate these floods ?

Answer 1: Stop the lakes breaking out and flooding the valleys.” Comment: This is true but focuses on ONE measure. It does not explore the links between cause and effect. It is a Uni-structural (U) response because it focuses in one relevant fact. Answer 2: Global warming should stop by not using so much fossil fuel. People should be moved from the floodplains of rivers. ” Comment: Both statements are correct but no attempt is made to explain of relate them. It is a Multi-structural response (M) because the answer is based on more than one relevant concrete piece of data. Answer 3 The alpine lakes likely to break out and cause floods should be identified and early warnings made downstream so that people and animals can be moved to safety. In the long run lake walls might be strengthened. Global warming should be stopped by reducing the burning of fossil fuels.” Comment: a relevant range of cause and effect concrete details are used to explain and relate them to a problem. There is a coherent structure for this context. It is a Rational response because it focuses on ideas that relate the relevant information. Answer 4: “Flooding in Bhutan could be mitigated by the government and local communities adopting early warning schemes for likely outbursts and evacuation measures downstream. Lakes likely to cause such disasters might also be strengthened. Global warming is a fundamental cause of this problem and will require an international response to reduce the burning of fossil fuels. The flood problem in Bhutan is one symptom of global warming, another is the melting of the ice caps and the rise in sea levels affecting coastal and island peoples. Even climate change is regarded as a result of global warming affecting the whole world, so that international cooperation and change in technology are required.” Comment: The answer contains a wide range of relevant and well-related points. Abstract ideas are raised beyond the immediate problem. This is a level beyond and is referred to as an ‘Extended abstract Response (ER). It is also a level about the concrete symbolic Mode to the Formal Mode.

Reflective Professional Learning: An Experiential Model Experiential Learning Steps (adapted from Glaser’s model) 1. Getting the group on track – whole-school professional learning session The aim of this step is to help teachers focus on the concepts, skills and attitudes of a particular glocal learning element. The element will represent the professional learning focus of the term. In this stage they will set themselves up – get on trackfor the experiential learning to follow.

Learning Context Whole school inset with particular focus

Action Type Presentation of ‘global learning’ element

Department / subject area meeting

•

ELLI Dimensions • Critical curiosity • Growth • Strategic awareness

Who? • All teachers and leaders • ELLI Champions

For the project, the topic / focus of the professional learning session would follow the 7 ELLI dimensions as outlined in the Learning Continuum (1 per session) 2.

Structured learning experience

Teachers, having been introduced to the learning focus in the whole-school inset, are asked to internalize and make bespoke the concepts and skills in their particular subject area as a ‘concrete learning experience’. The structured experiences could include, for example, problem setting exercises, philosophical discussions around the core learning purpose and outcomes, a curriculum audit aimed at aligning 21C learning outcomes with mandated curriculum outcomes. These activities will probably lead to reactions related to past experience of similar situations. This process gives a basis for making visible the theoretical foundation for the proposed approach. 3.

Theory Input

Teachers reflect critically on relevant theory and discuss their reactions to their praxis enquiry activity. The theory could be introduced through the online forum or teachers may develop their own theories to explain the structured learning experiences. 4.

Processing / publishing

Teachers reflect critically and discuss their reactions to the activity. This reflection would typically begin with the individual followed by discussion in smaller groups both face-to-face and with teachers from outside their local context in the online forum. Critical to this learning stage is the transfer of understanding to a concrete written form.

‘Translating’ the whole school learning focus into a subject area context - Reflection, brainstorming,

• • • •

Individual (using online resources and discussion)

Individual / teams (online and face-toface)

Research and scholarship • Reading and sharing experiences • Connecting theory with practice

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Lesson planning and publishing online

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•

creativity learning relationships meaning making strategic awareness

• • •

HoD to lead All teachers ELLI Champions

Critical curiosity Meaning making

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Global stream teachers ELLI Champions

creativity learning relationships strategic awareness

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Global stream teachers ELLI Champions

Skills practice

Individual in classroom

Action research

Teachers have the opportunity to practise and apply their learning. This enables them to incorporate the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed into their own profile by trying them out in authentic context and reflecting on the effect of their changed practice; this corresponds with Kolb’s ‘testing implications of concepts on new situations’ 6.

Feedback (what does this mean for me?)

Teachers get feedback on their new use of knowledge, attitudes or skills suggested by the theory, that is, on their performance as it relates to the theory. Teachers provide feedback of their own experiences and hear the feedback of teachers in their own local context and global contexts through the online forum. 7.

Evaluation

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Department / subject area meeting

Reflective discussion from classroom practice / student feedback

Online discussion

• • •

Department / subject area meeting

This review step involves teachers synthesizing and making an evaluation of their experience from within the original context. That is, teachers articulate the lessons learned, the knowledge enhanced, the skills developed and the way the experiences have affected thinking and behaviour(s) in relation to the term’s glocal learning element. The synthesis would be presented to the school senior leadership team to help guide strategic direction.

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Group synthesis Publishing online

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School Leadership team meeting

Growth Meaning making Critical curiosity

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All teachers

Learning relationships Meaning making Growth

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All teachers

Resilience Meaning making Strategic awareness

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School leadership Curriculum / pedagogical leader HoDs All teachers

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